Cursed
by MaeTowle
Summary: At the Mikaelson's Ball, Esther witnesses her children connecting with the locals, and she realizes she is going to have to change her plan, so a new spell is added to the one linking her children - a curse on the doppelganger, but someone else as well.
1. A Perilous Party

**A/N: As always, I don't own TVD because, if I did, many things would have turned out differently. Any recognizable characters, plots and dialogue belong to the L.J. Smith and the CW. A plot bunny hopped up to me today and demanded that this happen, and who am I to deny plot bunnies?**

 **Esther**

The ball was underway, and Esther watched from the top of the stairs as the guests from Mystic Falls streamed in. She had insisted on hosting this ball ostensibly to show the guests she and her family meant their town no further harm, but all of this frivolity would distract her children from her true purpose.

Since she had returned, Esther had heard some comments from some of her children, and before her plans could move forward, she needed to assess how accurate those comments were. Rebekah and Niklaus were of the opinion that Elijah had once more developed feelings for a doppelgänger. Esther rather thought that he would have learned his lesson about that folly by now, but she had to see if there was any truth to her children's thoughts. If there were, it might complicate matters.

Aside from finding out about Elijah's feelings, she wanted to meet the girl herself. She had tried to kill the girl from the other side, but that had been nothing personal – just a way to prevent Niklaus from creating his abominable hybrids. She was grateful she had failed, however, because now she needed the doppelgänger's blood for her own purposes.

Which is why she was here, watching as crowds of people entered the house Niklaus had had built. She wanted to see the moment the doppelgänger arrived.

When she finally did, it didn't take a master of observation to notice the exact moment Elena Gilbert entered the house. At least three of Esther's own children turned to look, and Elena's own friends stopped what they were doing when they saw her.

 _Interesting,_ Esther thought. _It would appear as though they didn't expect her to come. Or rather, judging by the frowns, she had been told not to._

Elena's glittering gold and black gown caught as much attention as it did the soft lighting. Esther noticed, in particular, that Elijah and two younger vampires – one with raven hair and noticeable pale blue eyes and the other sandy-blond – could not take their eyes off of Elena. The two younger vampires hurried to Elena's side when they saw her. There was a brief hushed conversation, but at the end, Elena stood tall and resolute as the men's shoulders sagged and they appeared resigned.

The blond man held out his arm first, and Elena took it before looking expectantly at the other. He sighed but finally held an arm out for her as well. When her arms were linked with both men, the trio made their way in to join the rest of the party guests.

From the corner of her eye, Esther saw Elijah's jaw tick as he watched the same scene play out. There was no other evidence of emotion on his face, but it is impossible to hide some things from a mother. In that moment, Esther knew that Rebekah and Niklaus had the measure of the situation. Elijah had indeed fallen for another doppelgänger, but he was not asserting his interest, so perhaps he had not yet had the realization on his own.

There was a brief glance exchanged between Elena and Elijah as she was led away by her apparent chaperones, and Esther saw in that one short look that perhaps, unlike the last two times, Elijah was not the only one with feelings. Esther frowned at the realization. This meant she was going to have to tweak her plan the slightest bit. It seemed unlikely that Elena would willingly play a part in anything that could harm Esther's second-eldest son.

Meanwhile, she noticed that Niklaus and Rebekah had also been unable to look away from the doppelgänger. She knew that Niklaus viewed Elena as nothing more than a tool, so she was not worried about his emotions. And the feelings that Rebekah held for the girl boiled down to jealousy. Yes, she was angry at Elena's actions against her, but more so at the fact that Elena had everything that Rebekah wanted – including humanity, which Esther had torn from her.

She stayed long enough for Elijah to announce the evening's first waltz and to greet the people she had invited into their home, but as the first strains of music began, she withdrew to her room. Finn knew that she needed to speak to Elena alone, and he would convey the message. In the meantime, she needed to come up with a solution to the unforeseen problem of feelings between Elijah and Elena. She needed to ensure that her plan succeeded. The spirits were depending on her, and if she failed, there would be repercussions for her – worse than having to watch her children and feel their victims' pain for a millennium.

She was pulled from her thoughts when Finn joined her after the first dance. It was not long after that a knock sounded on the door. Finn answered it at her request as Esther finished spelling the sage that would keep her and Elena's conversation private, even from all the prying vampire ears. Elena entered – completely alone – and Esther was pleased that the girl could conform to simple requests. Though, she had known Elena was brave, sometimes to the point of stupidity. However, tonight it played in her favor.

Esther dismissed Finn and she and the girl took their seats on the sofa in the center of the room. Elena promptly began to ask questions, and Esther allowed this. She was willing to answer Elena if it would help to make Elena more compliant in the plan, though she made sure to choose her words with caution. It wasn't long before Elena was asking questions that exercised all of Esther's skills of evasion.

"You're gonna help us kill Klaus, aren't you?" There was something hidden in Elena's tone. On the surface, she sounded excited by the idea of a solution to the scourge of Esther's son. But Esther sensed that she was not alone in playing this conversation carefully.

"One thing at a time, Elena. For now, I simply need your help."

Esther had to hope that she had said the right thing. She knows from what she had heard from her children and what she saw while she was on the other side that Elena was someone who wanted to help, who wanted to protect, and Esther needed to play on that to reach her goal. She noticed that Elena was still nervous as she sat beside Esther, withdrawing to the far end of the couch, though she tried to look self-assured as she kept her spine rigid.

Esther began to talk about the past and how she had turned her children into the abominations that they were. As she did so, she stood and moved around the room lighting candles. She needed to do something for she still felt the guilt from the decision to turn her children. Not because of why she had done it, but because of what it had wrought on the world after she was gone.

Elena pressed for how Esther was going to kill vague, and she kept her answer vague. She feared that if Elena knew the cost she would not be willing to pay it, even given her distaste for Klaus. Even if Elena wanted to spare only one of Esther's children, the spell wouldn't work. Esther couldn't allow that.

"Endling Klaus' life will take time, magic, and your help," Esther said.

Elena looked askance at her. "What do I have to do with it?"

"Tonight, I have brought my children together, not to celebrate our reunion as they believe, but so that I may perform a ritual. The first step requires your blood, the blood of a doppelgänger."

Elena shivered and muttered in a low voice, "Of course it does." She wrapped her arms a little tighter around her middle, but she was still listening.

Esther watched Elena's reaction. She tried to set her at ease, since this would work so much better if the girl cooperated. Blood freely given was even more powerful than that which was taken by force.

"Only a drop is needed," she said in a soothing tone. "It will be in the champagne for the toast this evening, but only its essence is required." Esther held up the athame that Finn had sharpened for her earlier. Its tip glimmered in the candle light, sharp as a needle. "Will you do it, or shall I?"


	2. Magic & Martyrs

**A/N: As always, I don't own TVD because, if I did, many things would have turned out differently. Any recognizable characters, plots and dialogue belong to the L.J. Smith and the CW.**

 **Elena**

"Will you do it, or shall I?" Esther asked as she held a razor-sharp knife out to Elena, who could only stare at the point.

Elena shifted in her seat as she stared at the blade. She had spent enough time with various Mikaelsons by now to know that words were tricky things. Regular dealings with Elijah, and confrontations with Klaus, had taught her the power of carefully choosing words to make it sound like what the listener wanted to hear, but saying something different – hiding motives. Compounding that, Elijah had pulled her aside before she entered the room and admitted his doubt in regards to his mother.

Elena knew that Esther was not saying something in the same way that she knew Elijah admitting to trepidation was paramount to the end of the world. But Elena also knew that calling Esther out on her reticence would not end in Elena's favor. Even knowing that, she couldn't just agree to hand over her blood – it seemed to be a hot commodity, but what resulted never seemed to be something Elena wanted.

"Why will it be in the toast?" Elena asked. If her blood was in the toast, that meant anything could happen to any of the people downstairs – innocent townspeople, her friends, people she'd known all her life… Elijah. Nearly all of Mystic Falls was downstairs, and they were in danger. Again.

Esther frowned as she looked at Elena. Elena got the feeling she was pressing her luck more than was wise with the Original witch. But then, that meant she was hitting close to where the witch was hiding her secrets. Elena filed that away.

"It will be in the champagne to ensure that the requisite party drinks. I couldn't just put it in one glass, ensuring that I hand it directly to Niklaus. You've encountered my son. Do you think he wouldn't suspect something?"

Elena had to agree that that was a fair point. Klaus would be suspicious of any special treatment. His paranoia was one of the first things she had heard about him.

"So, it has to go in all of the champagne just to make sure Klaus drinks it?" Elena asked, just to clarify and to see if she could glean anything new. "Surely, there is another way to make sure he, and only he, takes it. God knows he's had more than his share of my blood before."

There was a brief twitch above Esther's right eye. Elena was definitely on to something with her questions. There was something Esther was not sharing with the class, and Elena knew she didn't want to help. It was going to do something other than hurt Klaus, and that was her only goal.

"It is not only your blood required," Esther said. "If it were that easy, it would already be done." As she spoke, she stepped closer to Elena, blade held aloft.

Elena recoiled, pulling her arms tight around her torso. She leaned into the couch trying to get even further from the suddenly menacing witch. But with a wave of Esther's hand, Elena found she couldn't move. She was unable to resist as Esther snatched one of her hands from her body. Then, with unexpected gentleness, she removed Elena's golden opera glove. Turning Elena's hand so that the palm faced upward, she cut a shallow slice clean across Elena's palm.

Elena hissed, but made no other sign of discomfort, settling for glaring at Esther.

Esther waved her hand again, and a bowl appeared at her side. She turned Elena's hand over the bowl and squeezed to capture Elena's blood. Elena watched as it dripped into the bowl, once more hating that she had no control over her life, her blood, and her choices. Once Esther was satisfied, she ran a finger over the cut, and it sealed itself. It still stung, and she hadn't actually healed it, but it wouldn't continue to bleed, thus not catching the attention of any of the vampires downstairs.

As Esther stepped away to attend her altar in the corner of the room, Elena inspected her hand before pulling her glove back on. The wound was red and inflamed, and she found flexing her hand painful – she would just have to be careful not to use that hand for anything for a while.

"I thought you said only a drop," Elena muttered.

"That was before I knew you were going to be unhelpful. Now, the plan has changed," Esther said. Elena felt a sense of dark foreboding slip over her. Her stomach clenched as she wondered what that meant and who was going to pay the price for her unwillingness to go in blind.

Esther continued, "Now, Elena, I trust you want to start being helpful to ensure that those you love are safe." As she spoke, Esther worked over her altar, but Elena couldn't see what she was doing. Elena nodded, but Esther didn't even glance up to look. However, she continued as though she had seen. "Elijah is more suspicious than his siblings, so he might need more persuasion. But all of my children must drink the toast in order to be linked as one."

"Linked as one?" Elena asked.

"Precisely. As you have pointed out, Klaus is immortal. As such, if all of my children are linked, he takes on their limitations. If one of them goes, they all do."

Elena silently stared at the witch's back. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. As much as she wanted Klaus out of her life, what kind of mother would kill all of her children? Though, Esther had already done that once in the name of saving them, so what was to stop her from doing it again?

Elena tried to picture a world without the Originals. She knew they had only been in Mystic Falls for a matter of months, but good or bad, they had a way of making it seem like they'd always been there.

Klaus was, of course, a threat to all of them and countless others, but Elena had watched him flirt and dance with Caroline. As much as she knew her friend felt conflicted, Elena could see the amusement and flattery under Caroline's hard exterior. Other than threatening and acting against Tyler, since Klaus had set his sights on Caroline, he was wreaking less havoc.

Rebekah had it out for Elena, that was true. But after Elena had literally stabbed her in the back after acting like Rebekah's friend, she could understand. Rebekah just wanted to go to high school and be popular, and Elena felt it was unfair to want to kill the other girl when she just wanted to the normal. Even if she had terrifying ways of trying to accomplish the goal.

Elena didn't know much about Kol or Finn. They were the newest factors to her, but she didn't think it was right to kill them if she didn't know whether they deserved it or not. Plus, Elijah was so excited to have his family back together, even if he did complain about what it was like for them all to live under the same roof again.

Which brought her to the real sticking point. _Elijah._ She couldn't believe how much he had become part of her every day. How much she had come to rely on him. Yes, he was still less familiar to her than the people she had grown up with, but when there was trouble, she could count on him to let her make her own choices, and he would do what he could to back them up. It wasn't just that he had a millennium of experiences and could help her when she was at a loss. But, there was this understanding between them that her other friends didn't get – family above all. And, in this moment, she had a quick realization that he had somehow wound up in that group for her.

A world without Elijah in it… Elena didn't want that. Couldn't even picture it. But, it was obvious that Esther was deadest on her plan. Elena had already learned that explicitly trying to resist didn't end in her favor, so she would have to think of a way to more subtly undermine the plan.

Esther was talking again, Elena realized belatedly.

"I love my family, Elena, but they are abominations. When I created them, I went against nature. And nature has sent me to rectify my mistake after punishing me for a thousand years."

Elena thought that sounded a lot like the love of balance that witches professed to no end, but surely by now nature had found a way to cope with vampires. They weren't as out of balance as Esther seemed to think. But, it was clear that Esther believed what she was saying, and that made her even more dangerous.

Elena's mind ran quickly through possibilities for how to stop Esther's plan. She needed to warn someone. Elijah would be ideal, but she knew that Esther would be watching as Elena interacted with Elijah. Perhaps that was too much of a risk. Finn had been the one to tell Elena to come alone, and she had a sickening feeling that he was in on the plan, so Elena needed to be careful around him too.

As Elena continued to concoct some semblance of a plan, she watched Esther out of the corner of her eye. The witch poured a couple drops of Elena's blood into a chalice. The sound it made indicated that there was already liquid in the cup. Elena was torn between curiosity and just plain not wanting to know. Then, Esther picked the remainder of the blood up and began to chant over the bowl. She waved her free hand over the bowl, and the chanting grew in volume.

On the other side of the room, Elena felt her thoughts grow fuzzy. She began to panic as her body grew hot. Like the night she had sat in a ring of flame as Klaus drew nearer. She tried to grasp the strength she had felt as she glared down the Original hybrid, but that night she had known exactly what was going to happen to her. Now, she had no clue. She felt her body collapse back into the couch, unable to even sit up on her own anymore.

Just as she was beginning to think the burning would never stop, it did. But it was replaced with a bone-deep arctic chill. She couldn't move to rub her arms for warmth, and Elena had a feeling that even if such a thing were possible, it wouldn't have warmed her up.

Eventually, the cold passed too. The candles scattered around the room glowed white-hot, the flames jumping a foot high, for a brief instant. Then, they went out. And as they did, Elena too passed out.


	3. Hot and Cold

**A/N: As always, I don't own TVD because, if I did, many things would have turned out differently. Any recognizable characters, plots and dialogue belong to the L.J. Smith and the CW. Also, a quick word of thanks to everyone who's left comments, y'all are so kind, and each one make me smile. As do each and every one of you who have marked this as a favorite or put an alert on this story. You make this newbie writer feel fantastic! :3**

* * *

 **Elijah**

Elijah watched Finn approach Elena at the bar while he was leading a stranger – pretty enough but nothing to hold his attention – around the floor. However, the conversation between his older brother and Elena was more than enough to capture his interest. Without missing a step or letting the girl know he wasn't focused on her, he tuned into the conversation.

"My mother wishes to meet with you," Finn said by way of greeting as he came up behind Elena.

Elijah saw her jump as well as her meager attempt to cover it. As soon as the bartender placed her drink in front of her, Elena picked it up and took a large sip. Once able to feign calm, she turned a polite smile on Finn.

"Greetings, Miss Gilbert," Finn said as he took the open spot beside her at the bar. They both stood with their backs to the bar as Finn continued to talk. Elijah could hear the way her heart beat nervously against her ribs. He knew Finn could hear it too, but he made no sign that he knew how nervous the girl to whom he was talking was. "I didn't mean to startle you, merely to introduce myself, since we've not yet had the pleasure. I am Finn Mikaelson."

Elena nodded politely at the greeting. "Pleased to meet you," she said. "I would introduce myself, but you apparently already know my name." She was hiding behind her witty retort, but her face still bore the polite smile. Elijah could see the tension in her shoulders even across the crowded dance floor. He couldn't believe that neither of her Salvatore protectors were anywhere to be seen. "Is your mother here?" Elena glanced around, but she didn't seem to want to take her eyes off Finn, the current unknown factor.

"She's upstairs," Finn answered. "I see you came with your friends. However, if you wish to meet with my mother, you'll need to go alone."

From where Elijah was twirling his partner gracefully, he saw Elena grow even more tense. He remembered that she said his mother had already been responsible for one attempt on her life. What could his mother want to discuss that required Elena be alone? Elijah felt his own curiosity and anxiety spike, which meant that Elena was feeling it even more acutely.

Despite that, he saw Elena nod. Elijah cursed and thanked her self-sacrificing nature in equal measure. If she were more like Katerina, she wouldn't be at this party, and even more so, she wouldn't be agreeing to meet with Esther. That would have left him in the dark about his mother's motives, but it would have kept her safe from the unpredictability.

Later, he saw Elena walking toward the grand staircase. She was still without her guard dogs, and from the way she glanced over her shoulder, she was as surprised about it as Elijah was. When she saw neither Salvatore, she hiked up the hem of her dress and began to climb. Elijah excused himself from his conversation with one of the town's "founders" and set off to follow her.

He caught up with her as she rounded a corner toward the corridor that housed his mother's suite. She was just taking a deep breath when he called her name. She turned to face him as he caught up with her, absently stroking the back of his index finger down her arm. He didn't even realize he had done it until he saw her eyes following the movement, but he didn't regret the action. His finger tingled as he pulled his hand back.

He noticed that she hadn't jumped when he spoke unexpectedly, nor when he had touched her so casually, as she had when Finn snuck up on her. Her heart rate picked up, but it wasn't the first time he had noticed that when they were talking. The two set off together down the hallway. He didn't miss that she didn't say his name in return, but the breaking of their tradition didn't bother him. Their strides matched, and he wondered at the synchronicity between them.

"I understand my mother has requested to meet with you."

"Yeah," she breathed. The breath caught in her throat as she glanced over at him. "Is something wrong?"

Elijah waved his free hand while the other remained in his pocket as he spoke again. "My mother's ability to forgive Niklaus after everything he's done to destroy this family seems strange, to say the least," he said, feeling the weight of her concerned gaze on him.

"You don't think it's true?" Her brow creased as she boiled his concern down to its basic element. He would have been impressed by her ability to distill and process what he wasn't saying if she hadn't demonstrated so often her intuition and compassion. It allowed him to respect her, perhaps more than he should.

She stopped walking as she asked the question, and he stepped forward to stand in front of her, wanting to face her to convey the seriousness of the situation. He felt the need to touch her again, and unable to resist, he ran the palm of his hand, light as a feather from her shoulder to her wrist. When he had seen her come in with a Salvatore brother on either arm, it had dredged up feelings long since forgotten of two women who had shared her face. But he was remembering now that that was where the similarities ended.

"It is forcing me to ask questions I never wanted to ask," he said, moving his thoughts away from that dangerous territory. He paused, watching her brow furrow. He knew that he was about to ask a lot of her, but he needed to know what his mother was planning, or if he was simply starting to pick up on Niklaus' paranoia. "Can I rely on you to tell me what she says?"

Elena met his eyes as she paused for only a moment. He was listening to her heartbeat out of habit. Relying on other people for information hadn't always been productive in the past, and though he trusted Elena more than most - her goodness was reliable, even if her motives weren't always – he wanted to be sure he was getting the truth from her.

Her heartbeat never wavered, and her eyes stayed steady on his as she said, "Of course. I'll find you later, okay?" She nodded minutely with her jaw set in resolution before she turned away.

He blinked several times as he watched her walk away, almost unable to believe that it was that easy to get her to agree. A thought struck him, and after checking that the hallway was clear except for them, Elijah hastened to catch back up with her. Elena stopped as she felt him approach and turned to face him with a brow raised.

"I wanted to give you a word of warning, Elena," Elijah said in a low tone. They weren't far from his mother's room now, and he wanted to ensure that they weren't overheard. "It was my mother who taught me to be cautious with my words. It would serve you, also, to remember that she is responsible for raising me and all of my siblings – the good and the bad in each of us. Though we've been apart for a millennium, she had a hand in who each of us are."

Elena held his gaze for a beat as she processed his words. Then, mimicking his light touch earlier, she traced his jaw before nodding curtly. "Thank you, Elijah. I'll see you soon."

He gestured to the door of his mother's suite and watched as she knocked on the door. He flashed around the corner when he heard the knob turn, but from his vantage point, he could see that it was Finn who opened the door. He was possessed, for a brief moment, by the urge to run after her and pull her from the room.

Since his mother's return, there was something unsettling in Esther. She was not acting as the woman he remembered. And yet, here he was, once more allowing – encouraging, even – Elena to put herself in danger relative to his family. Yet, she had been on her way up before he told her of his suspicions. It was not him that she was putting herself in danger for, but he wished that he belonged in that group. To be so cared for by Elena Gilbert would be a wonderful thing.

He shook that thought free from his mind before he returned to the party downstairs. He noticed absently that still neither Salvatore was present. However, much of his concern remained with the two women who were meeting upstairs, particularly once Finn made his reappearance only a few moments later. Elijah watched his older brother descend the grand staircase and was reminded that his mother was not the only one acting differently than he remembered.

He knew it couldn't be easy to find yourself thrust into a world so drastically different from the one 900 years ago, but even with that factored in, Finn was different – even more reserved and isolated than he had been. Finn had always been the quietest of their family, and when they were turned, he was the one who hated it the most.

Elijah watched his brother and the stairs as he continued to mingle and dance with their guests as though nothing more was on his mind than welcoming the citizens of Mystic Falls into his home and brokering peace – not that the townspeople knew that was what was happening.

During a waltz twenty minutes after Finn's return, Elijah was suddenly struck by two intense, swiftly successive sensations. At first, he was hot – burning up. It felt as though he had stepped outside, midafternoon, on a clear day without his daylight ring. Though, since his partner made no comment, he knew that it wasn't something felt by anyone other than himself. The sensation faded quickly, but it had been enough to make his steps falter. He politely excused himself from his partner, claiming to be in need of some fresh air, and as he took his first steps away from her, he was caught up in a dizzy spell.

As he stumbled his way across the packed dancefloor, he was overcome with a bone-deep chill. It felt as though he had been plunged into the Arctic Ocean nude. From head to toe, he felt frozen but the numbness that would have occurred if the situation were real never came. Just cold.

Finally, he made it to the nearest wall and leaned back to hide his unsteadiness. He hadn't felt dizzy in more years than he could count, and though the cold faded from his body as quickly as the heat had, the dizziness and lethargy lingered. There was only one thing that he could think of as a cause – witchcraft. And more than that, only one witch he knew had enough power to affect him in such a way.

His mother was definitely up to something.

Elijah rested his head against the wall, and as he felt himself start to regain equilibrium, he caught Finn's stare. His brother was frowning, head tilted to one side, and honestly, that worried Elijah more than he wanted to admit. He had been sure that Finn was working with their mother, but it looked like Finn didn't know what was happening to Elijah either.

Just as the last of the dizziness receded, Esther appeared at the top of the stairs. She carefully made her way down, and at the base of the staircase, she and Finn leaned close to talk. From his place against the wall, Elijah watched Finn take a small bottle from Esther before making his way to the rear of the room. He wished he could have heard what was said, but between the musicians and the party guests, there was too much white noise. Elijah lost his brother in the crowd, and returned his attention to his mother, only to find her staring at him with her lips pursed.

Her gaze lingered on him for a moment longer before she turned away. Finn soon returned, holding a glass of champagne for each of them. Then, together they climbed to the landing in the middle of the open staircase. Esther tapped the side of her glass to gather the guests' attention.

Elijah took a flute of pink champagne from a passing tray, but he missed his mother's toast as he realized that she had returned without Elena. He closed his eyes and listened for a heartbeat that he had accidentally memorized in the past few months, but he couldn't discern that even as the guests remained quiet while his mother spoke. He let his attention continue to wander as he tried to spot her in the room. Her dress had stood out to him even amongst all the other finery, but now, he couldn't see her anywhere.

He turned his eyes back on his mother, only to see her once more staring at him. She raised her glass as she finished her toast.

"Cheers!" she said, and the guests replied with a resounding cheer. Someone beside Elijah tapped their glass against his, and automatically, he drank. Nearly the entire glass was gone before he lowered it.

Something had happened to Elena, and he had been the final one to encourage her to meet with his mother – a woman who had already tried to kill her once. Elijah was struck by a wave of guilt, which was only worsened when he saw that none of her other friends seemed to notice what he had. Perhaps that meant he had merely missed her? Since it was clear that his mother was up to something, perhaps Elena had thought it would be better to meet away from the mansion where his mother lived.

He couldn't blame her for that, and as much as the trepidation sat on his soul, Elijah resolved to search Elena out in the morning for information. It wouldn't do to cause a scene when they were so close to achieving peace with their neighbors.

At least, that was his thought before he saw Kol re-enter the house with a swagger that only meant that Esther's rules weren't being upheld.


	4. Cures for Boredom

**Disclaimer: I don't TVD, no matter how much I wish I did. Any recognizable characters, plots and dialogue belong to the L.J. Smith and the CW.  
AN: Thanks again to everyone who has reviewed, favorited, and alerted this story. Every one makes me smile. **

**Kol**

Kol was bored. As happy as he was to be out of his box after a century, this ball almost made him wish for a dagger buried in his chest. All his siblings had agreed that they wouldn't cause any harm tonight, and there was no fun in that, but they did have their mother back. If she meant what she said about wanting them to all be together, Kol would be happy to have his family again.

He participated in the opening dance but had since moved to an open space along the back wall. Here, he was able to survey the ballroom and the grand staircase. It also allowed for plenty of women to approach him and try their hand at flirting with him. He turned few away, enjoying their attention, but once they realized that he wasn't returning to the dance floor, they moved on to his brothers. Though Klaus and Elijah each only had eyes for one woman - a blonde baby vampire and a doppelgänger, respectively.

Speaking of the doppelgänger, Kol saw her making a beeline for the stairs. Elijah was not far behind her, and Kol chuckled at the implications of that. Especially since she had come in with a man on either arm, but Elijah wasn't either one of them. Elijah had never been able to resist the doppelgängers, and Kol liked that some things never changed.

However, Kol frowned Elijah returned to the ball only a few moments later, brow creased with concern and steps stiffer than usual. While Elijah returned to dancing and chatting with their guests, Kol noticed that his eyes rarely wandered from the staircase. Kol wondered what had his brother so worried, and he felt a hint of worry himself when he saw Elijah fumble a dance step.

Any of the Mikaelsons could do this waltz in their sleep, but it was Elijah who knew it better than anyone. After he faltered, he excused himself from the dance floor, and as he made his way across the room, Kol saw him wipe his brow. As soon as he reached a wall, Elijah collapsed against it before shivering.

There was nothing but magic that could warrant that kind of reaction from someone like them. Color Kol intrigued. Perhaps he had found a mystery to assuage the boredom of the night.

Just as he was settling on that idea, he saw his mother descending the staircase. He saw that Elijah, through glazed eyes, was watching her as well. Kol glanced up when he saw movement on the mezzanine and saw the doppelgänger there. Her eyes were sweeping the room, wide and worried. Kol couldn't decide if she was looking for the pair of protectors she had come with but misplaced during the night or his brother. Her frown increased; whoever the target was couldn't be found.

She rushed down the stairs, head still swiveling as she searched, and was met at the bottom by the dark-haired man who had been on one arm at the start of the night. Kol vaguely remembered him introducing himself as Damon before Kol had brushed him off. A few short statements were exchanged, but then the vampire pulled her onto the dance floor, which coincidentally brought them closer to Kol, who was pleased he would be able to eavesdrop more easily.

He saw Elijah move, apparently completely recovered from whatever had been ailing him, to prowl around the room's perimeter. Again, Kol idly wondered what had his older brother so on edge. There was supposed to be peace tonight. But he had to admit that this unrest was interesting at least.

Damon's voice grabbed at Kol's attention as he said, "So, is Mama Original going to help us?" Kol quirked a brow at that. So, Elena had been meeting with Esther. What could they have had to talk about? And help with what? He listened intently for the answer, which came hesitantly.

"Yes, but-"

"But? What could there be to 'but'?" Damon asked. "Either she's gonna help us with our hybrid problem or not."

Elena frowned. "There's a price. It's high."

"Who the hell cares? Please don't tell me you put yourself on the line - again - and we're still not going to get rid of Klaus - again."

Kol scowled at that. Nik might be a bastard and the reason Kol had been in a coffin for so long, but he was Kol's brother. No one outside family got to threaten him. He focused even more on the arguing couple. He saw Elena wince, glancing at the hand Damon was holding - incorrectly for this dance Kol couldn't help but notice. Damon, however, was so focused on his tirade that he didn't notice her pain.

"Well, if you're going to be difficult, there's no reason to stay here any longer." Damon abruptly ended their dance and started to lead a lagging Elena to the door. Kol hoped to glean more information from their argument, so he followed them through the crowd of gowns and tuxedos. Damon was still ranting as he pulled Elena after him. "We've talked about this. You only get one suicide attempt a month, and with this stunt, you are waaaay past your quota."

Elena pulled a face and dug in her heels. It barely slowed Damon down, but it did earn her a look from him - a scowl etched deeply on his face. Kol saw Elena wince again as Damon's hand squeezed hers - the only point of contact between them.

"Damon, no!" she exclaimed. "I can't-"

"Oh, yes, you can, Elena."

Kol wished that Damon would let her finish her sentences. He was sure he would get more information if she could speak. He didn't know how she put up with such overbearing behavior.

"But, I need to- Elijah-"

Kol was hardly surprised to hear his brother's name pass her lips, and by the way Damon's scowl deepened, he wasn't surprised either. But he was confused because he had seen Elena and Elijah pass by each other at least twice since coming downstairs, and neither had made a move toward the other.

"No. Absolutely not," Damon snapped. "Your infatuation with him is going to get you killed. We. Are. Leaving," he snarled before trying to pull her toward the door again.

"Is that why you're mad?" Elena asked. "Or is it because you know that he lets me make my own decisions, something you don't respect me enough to do!"

"Only because you make such stupid ones," Damon said. "But no, I'm mad because I _love_ you. I love you, but you're intent on risking your life for someone who's proven he will betray you!"

Kol frowned. Were they still talking about Elijah? That didn't seem right to him…

"You've done the same, Damon! Maybe that's the problem. Maybe you care too much!" Damon's face immediately closed off, and he pulled back from her as though Elena had slapped him. In doing so, he released her hand, and Elena immediately clutched it to her chest, gently running her other thumb over the palm.

Kol winced in unexpected sympathy while leaning against the bannister. That had to sting. Obviously, a love confession shouted in a room full of people some of whom would kill you without a thought was not ideal, but to have it thrown back in his face like that… Kol _almost_ felt for the guy.

Elena tried to apologize as soon as the words left her mouth, but Damon wasn't having it. "Oh no, you said exactly what you meant," he hissed in a low, dangerous voice. "I care too much. I'm a _liability_." He spat the last word like poison before he turned on his heel and walked away from her without a single glance back.

Had he looked, he would have seen Elena watching him go with a heavily conflicted look on her face. Elijah stood a mere six feet away, and Kol was surprised when he didn't move to comfort the distraught doppelgänger. Perhaps he, Nik, and Rebekah had read that relationship all wrong. Nik would be thrilled.

Just then, the sound of ringing crystal came from behind him. Kol turned to see his mother and Finn standing on the stairs - time for another speech. His mother raised a glass of champagne as she addressed her guests.

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. As you can see, waiters are coming around with champagne. I hope you will join me in raising a glass. As my son Elijah," she paused and smiled at him as she spoke, but Kol saw something insincere and sad in her eyes, "said when welcoming you all, it has been a long time since my family was all gathered together as we are now."

 _That's quite the understatement,_ Kol thought as he took a glass of the pink champagne from a passing tray.

"My life has been devoid of this joy for what feels like a thousand years," Esther continued, and Kol quirked his lips in amusement at his mother's tongue-in-cheek comment, "and the joy is only increased by the presence of your warm and welcoming community. Already, it feels like this has been home all our lives. I would like to thank each of you for your part in this magical evening." Kol caught the way his mother's eyes lingered on Elena then, and he felt himself grow a little cold. Witches, particularly his mother, mixed with doppelgänger-influenced magic had never turned out favorably for him.

His mother was certainly laying it on thick, but he enjoyed the truths hidden among her words. He glanced over to see Elijah's reaction. He was frowning at his mother's words, hearing the double meanings, but he looked more concerned than amused. Not far from Elijah, Elena stood. She looked like she was going to be sick while she looked up at Esther for the rest of the toast. What exactly had the doppelgänger and his mother talked about?

"To the rest of our time together," Esther concluded. "Cheers!"

The crowd responded in kind, but Kol mulled over the meaning of his mother's last words. He saw Elena searching the crowd again as he raised his glass to his lips. Her fingers were twitching with nervous energy, and he paused as he watched her. She hadn't touched her own champagne yet. When her eyes met his, he raised his glass in mock salute at her and raised a curious eyebrow.

She glanced back at his mother before turning to face him completely. She mimicked his action of raising her glass, but when it was almost at her lips, she shook her head fractionally. Kol saw her mouth move, but as conversations around them were picking up again, he had to strain to hear her carefully quiet words.

"Linking spell." It was just two small words, but Kol didn't know what to do with them. He felt a cold spike of concern, but he had known two other women with her face, and both had had a _loose_ relationship with the truth. He couldn't think of any reason for her to say it if there wasn't something there, but she wasn't inherently magical, so she might not fully grasp all the possibilities behind that phrase.

He knew that Elijah would likely believe her without a doubt, but he needed more information. What kind of linking spell? Who was being linked? Because surely it wasn't everyone who drank the champagne at the party. Would there be benefits or only dire consequences? However, his glass was already tipped, and without thinking, a sip of champagne slipped past his lips. He kept his face passive, but he saw Elena react.

She closed her eyes and released a deep sigh as her whole body sagged. She downed her whole glass in one swallow, which Kol hadn't expected. She lowered the glass, glaring at it. She put it down on the first flat surface she passed as she headed for the door. Kol watched her go. She was waylaid twice before making it twenty feet. He frowned as he wondered what was going on in the doppelgänger's head.

But then, Rebekah walked by, smiling at and flirting with the football player. All other thoughts flew out of his head. Rebekah had promised violence earlier, and even though she changed her mind, that didn't mean Kol had to. Kol saw that Matt was headed upstairs, so he followed him before luring him out onto the balcony over the front porch. Shaking Matt's hand, he began to crush it, savoring every crunch and whimper. He felt the dark grin grow on his face. He enjoyed the feeling of being in control again.

"Hey, hey, hey. Careful with the hand. The guy's a quarterback."

Kol found Damon standing behind Matt. One look in his eyes showed that his humanity was holding on by a hair. It was _good_ to be old enough to see these things. He grinned at the raven-haired vampire before making a show of releasing Matt's hand.

Suddenly, Damon had his arms wrapped around Kol's throat. Kol hadn't expected him to be quite that fast, and with a quick move from Damon, he paid the price of his underestimation.

When Kol came to, his neck healing, he found himself lying on the front walk. A group was standing nearby, watching Damon as he stood over Kol's body. Kol heard Damon growl to the others, "Far be it for me to cause a problem."

Then, he was gone. Damon's brother and the doppelgänger stared after him, but Elena quickly looked down and away. Her eyes lingered on Kol for a moment before she shook her head and turned to Matt, who was approaching slowly. At least someone was properly afraid of Kol… Matt clutched his broken hand to his body.

"Oh, Matt," Elena sighed. "I'm sorry you got hurt."

Matt turned burning blue eyes on Kol. "You don't need to apologize, 'Lena. Not your fault."

Elena grimaced. "Still… Let me at least take you to the hospital."

Matt nodded, and the pair walked away. The other brother left not long after without a word to Kol. He clambered to his feet, dusted off his tux, and sauntered back inside.

Which is where he was abruptly blocked by Elijah, who looked every bit the authoritarian with his creased brow, crossed arms, and pursed lips. Elijah demanded to know where Kol had been, and Kol smirked as he answered.

"Merely getting to know the neighbors." Elijah said nothing, and Kol savored the minute tic in his brother's jaw. "Fine. There may have been a quarterback, a broken hand, a brief tussle, and a snapped neck, but I can't be sure. Everything's been so crazy around here lately."

"Mother told us not to harm anyone tonight, brother. You know how she wants peace."

"Yes, one big happy family. That's the dream. Don't worry, last I saw, the doppelgänger was ensuring the quarterback went to the hospital. And, not that you asked, but the snapped neck was mine, _brother_. No need to worry about me though. It is concerning though that, at your age, you still take orders from our mother." Kol shook his head mockingly.

Elijah frowned. "You saw Elena?"

"That's what you take away?" Kol asked, chuckling. "I call you subordinate, but all you can focus on is that I mentioned the doppelgänger? Yes, I saw her. Why, concerned another one's gotten away? You and doppelgängers…"

"You and witches," Elijah fired back. Kol m raised a brow, knowing that he had touched a nerve.

"Hmm, yes, I suppose." Kol paused as if in thought. "I do almost feel bad though. Paying her back for trying to tell me something earlier by hurting her friend." He shook his head. "Positively medieval."

"What did she try to tell you?" Elijah asked, anxious curiosity positively radiating off him, tinged with jealousy.

Kol shrugged. "Don't know. It sounded like 'blinking swell,' but that makes no sense." He shook his head. "Maybe your doppelgänger is addled. Anyway, there's still a party going on, so I'm off to join it." He might have told Elijah the truth if he wasn't always so condescending.

Kol sped past Elijah, leaving him to puzzle through things. Kol was bored again.

* * *

 **AN: This chapter brought to you a day early by the fact that I'm going to a party tonight and didn't want to make you wait too long.**


	5. Linked

**Disclaimer: I don't TVD, no matter how much I wish I did. Any recognizable characters, plots and dialogue belong to the L.J. Smith and the CW.**

 **AN: Thanks again to everyone who has reviewed, favorited, and alerted this story. Every one makes me smile. I'm still struggling to wrap my head around the fact that someone other than just me enjoys my writing…**

* * *

 **Esther**

After her toast, Esther stayed to mingle with her guests for a short while, mostly to converse with the town's mayor. She wanted to convey, at least for a time, the image of a happy family. Since the mayor knew what Esther's children were, she was understandably on edge. Esther wanted to assure her, in not so many words, that while she was there, her children would be respectful of the town's laws. Once she had cemented the happy family image and ensured that her targets had drank their spelled champagne, Esther retreated to her room once more.

She had also taken notice of the lack of interaction between Elijah and Elena. Her spell had worked, then. She had worried that the curse wouldn't take, what with the soulmate prerequisite. She had always assumed, however, that Elijah was destined to be with one of the doppelgängers. It was only a shame that he would never get to know the happiness of true, requited love.

"Mother?" Finn asked. He had come to her when the last guest left. He stood to the side while she was lost in thought, but his word broke her from her reverie.

She shook her head slightly to dislodge the remaining sympathy for any of her children. "Yes, it is time. Thank you, Finn."

Esther unrolled the scroll of parchment. Earlier, she had carefully written out the names of her children and Elena using the old language. She ran her fingers over the runes, remembering each of her children back when they had been human and innocent. She lingered last over Elijah's name, seeing that boy still in the man who lived even now, but sparing one would ruin the entire plan.

"Are you having second thoughts?" Finn asked as he watched his mother's actions, not missing which name it was that seemed to be stymieing her. He rested his hand on the back of her chair and leaned over to examine the parchment as well. The room's dim candlelight made it harder to read, but his enhanced vision helped. The top center name was Niklaus'. To the left and slightly below was Rebekah, and beneath her name, Kol's. Working down on the other side, first Finn saw his own name, and below that, Elijah's. Slightly right of and beneath Elijah's name was that of the doppelgänger.

Esther contemplated Elena's name. It did add a level of difficulty to add someone not of the family's blood, but Esther felt it was necessary. If allowed to live, the doppelgänger's blood could allow another to create vampires all over again. No, it was as necessary to end Elena's life as that of Esther's children, and there were too many people willing to stand between Elena and death. It would be easiest to take her out with the linking magic.

"This is the right way forward," Finn said as if reading her thoughts. His voice was even and reassuring.

Esther sighed. "I know," she agreed. She stood from her chair and turned to look at him before reaching up to caress his cheek. Her loyal, self-sacrificing son. She needed to check, though she would follow through with the plan no matter what his answer was. "You realize what completing the spell means, yes? That once it has been cast, you, your siblings, and the doppelgänger will all be linked - as though as one."

"I understand," Finn said, nodding. "When it is time, I will be ready to do what is required."

"Then, it is time. We must complete the link."

She picked up the asthame from her altar. Some of Elena's blood remained on the blade, aiding in her inclusion in the spell. Finn held out his hand, and she cut quickly. Together, they held his bleeding hand over the parchment as a pool of blood took form.

Esther braced his hand between hers as she began to chant. As soon as the last word passed her lips, the pool of blood began to move - flowing upward and outward on the parchment until it formed a tree connecting all of the names. Most connected only to the main trunk, but there was a singular connection between Elena and Elijah's names.

Once all the connections had formed, the edges of the parchment ignited. It burned toward the center of the page, and when the blood ignited, it burned brighter. When the connection between Elena and Elijah caught, it burned brilliant, blinding white. Both Finn and Esther needed to look away until the flames went out.

"What was that?" Finn asked.

"It does not matter," Esther deflected. "It is done. You are one."

* * *

 _Meanwhile_

 **Kol**

Doors and empty corridors passed. After the last guest had left, Kol took to wandering the house Nik said he had built for all of them. It had enough space, there was no doubt about that, but it was more maze than house. Perfect for someone who lived in and yet feared the shadows. It might have annoyed Kol on any other day, but tonight it suited his wandering thoughts and suspicions.

Among the things keeping his mind from rest were questions about why the doppelgänger believed there was a linking spell in the champagne, and if it were true, what that meant. It bothered him to suspect his mother, the woman who bore him and raised him up to a point, and a doppelgänger stranger in equal measure. On top of that, he wanted to know why his brother, so obviously in love with said doppelgänger, had acted as though she didn't exist toward the end of the ball.

Kol's feet brought him past Finn and Elijah's rooms, which were, as was fitting for his serious brothers, separated by a library. Kol heard nothing - not even slow heartbeats or breathing in either room, but the library echoed with pacing steps even more frantic than his own. They were accompanied by Elijah muttering. Seeing that the door was cracked open, Kol peered into the room, hoping Elijah was too caught up in his thoughts to notice he was being spied on.

The first thing Kol noticed was that Elijah was a mess. His suit coat had been flung over the back of a green leather armchair in front of the low-burning fireplace. Elijah had rolled his shirt sleeves up and kicked off his shoes as he padded back and forth between the window on the far wall and the fireplace. Even his desk was in disarray. Worn grimoires, open to seemingly random pages formed a loose stack. Amongst them, Elijah's own well-curated journals were tossed - some open, but most pushed precariously to the edge of the desk.

As Elijah paced, he continued to mutter, and Kol wondered what had managed to put his composed elder brother on edge.

"She didn't come meet me? Why? Shame or fear? Perhaps Mother forced her to do something, or maybe she acted willingly… But no, neither emotion has prevented her before. Perhaps she would hesitate, but not evade me. Maybe it was inability? But she's the most resilient person I've ever met. Add to that, Kol said he saw her and that she even tried to warn him of something, though what he said was gibberish. Why would Elena warn him but not me? How could I have missed her?"

Kol was entranced by Elijah's distress - all brought on by one girl! He watched as Elijah ran his hand roughly through his hair, which told him who it had come to be standing up in all directions.

"I saw her before she talked to Mother," Elijah said in the way of someone trying to recount their steps to find something misplaced. "She was right there, turned, and knocked on Mother's door. Finn let her in."

Kol frowned. Why had Finn let the doppelgänger into Mother's room? Did he know what Mother was planning? Could anything be done to turn him on their mother? Kol began to think of ways to coerce Finn while still listening to Elijah, just in case his rambling revealed any more interesting tidbits.

Elijah returned to the desk and anxiously pushed the chair back out of the way. He stood in front the chaos of books, flipping through grimoires with no obvious method, scanning pages before tossing them aside just as quickly.

"Hidden? What could have hidden her? A cloaking spell maybe, but I've had witches use nearly every iteration over the years, and nearly always there's been something to give them away. I heard no heartbeat. There was no scent. No sign of her whatsoever."

Elijah's words sparked another thought for Kol. A spell - well, curse, really - that an Italian witch in the 15th century had told him about. He'd been asking how to exact the worst revenge on a rival, and she told him about this spell, before telling him he would be hard pressed to find a witch who would cast it for him.

It was blacklisted in her coven and all the other covens she'd ever encountered. The curse erased every sign of two people from each other's reality. They couldn't sense each other in any way - sight, sound, scent, touch, and even taste. Even interactions around them regarding the other person were lost. But witches were about balance, and most considered it too cruel a fate to deprive soulmates of one another, no matter what they had done. And now, Kol had a sinking feeling he knew which unbalanced witch had created the curse.

The fact that Esther would use that spell on her own son… Kol sighed. If he was right, there truly was none of the mother they remembered left in the one who had returned to them.

Kol watched Elijah for a moment longer, but he doubted his brother was going to find an answer in the books in front of him. This was deep in witch lore, and if the curse was the one Kol was thinking of, it would exist in, most likely, only one grimoire. Kol decided, then and there, to check in with some other witch connections, but for now, he would keep his suspicions to himself.

He moved off to see what the rest of the family was up to. He found Nik in his studio painting an intricate portrait of the blonde he had been flirting with all night. Kol had to admit, the girl was pretty, but he found the fact that she appeared to keep Nik on his toes the most appealing thing about her. Kol chose not to interrupt Nik, leaving him to muse over the portrait and the girl who inspired it.

Next, he passed Rebekah's room, but found that she wasn't in. He wondered where she had gone, but knew that after she had been reprimanded earlier she had stormed from the room. Perhaps she was out cooling down. It wasn't like anything too terrible could happen to her.

Finally, Kol walked past his mother's room. Again, he couldn't hear anything on the other side of the door. But this time, there was one significant difference. There was the faint scent of sage in the air. His mother had always loved her privacy spells, but since her return, they had become the rule rather than the exception. More often than not, sage burned in her room, and her clothes carried the scent. Kol had noticed that Finn's clothes often smelled the same.

Kol's suspicions grew stronger. At the next opportunity, he needed to search his mother's room. He was starting to trust the doppelgänger's words more than his mother. He wanted to be more bothered about it than he was, but Kol had always valued his own life before most other things. Finn working willingly with their mother meant things were more treacherous than previously thought.

Something was happening, and Kol was officially worried. He needed to find a witchy ally. _Fast._


	6. What You Can't See

**Disclaimer: I don't TVD, no matter how much I wish I did. Any recognizable characters, plots and dialogue belong to the L.J. Smith and the CW.**

 **AN: So much love to everyone reaching out to say how much they enjoy the story. As much as I love the story, some days it's hard to write, but knowing that other people like it as much as I do helps me get through the hard days. So, thank you! Sorry this chapter is a little late and kind of a filler chapter. I promise more good stuff to come!**

* * *

 **Jeremy**

Elena came home, bringing Matt and his broken hand. The moment he saw the cast, Jeremy wished he hadn't let Elena convince him, again, that she didn't need protection.

"Hey, my hand's not the one that's broken," she said. "I'm fine."

Then, before he could ask any more questions, she turned and all but ran up the stairs to her room. After a couple minutes, he heard the shower start running.

"Man, what happened?" Jeremy asked as he and Matt moved to the couch. "Mystic Falls parties aren't known for fun nights anymore, but…" He just pointed at Matt's hand.

"I met Elijah's other brother - Kol," Matt said. "Turns out the whole family's crazy. He was shaking my hand and started to squeeze. After a few snaps, Damon showed up."

Jeremy raised a brow.

"I know, I know, but he got Kol off me, broke his neck, and threw him off a balcony. 'Course he was back up like ten minutes later…"

"And did Elena get what she went for?"

"No idea. She hasn't said much since we left." Matt hesitated. "If you guys are cool with it, I'd like to stay here tonight." He paused again. "I just don't feel like being alone."

Jeremy gave him a long look. Matt had never had a problem being alone before, no matter what insanity happened in Mystic Falls. Elena was more his focus tonight, Jeremy knew it without asking, and he wasn't going to deny someone else the ability to think they were looking after Elena. He knew that Ric, if he weren't still in the hospital would agree.

"Sure thing, man. You know you're always welcome," Jeremy said, clapping Matt on the back.

Elena came back downstairs. She was wearing baggy, flannel pajamas Jeremy hadn't seen her in since right after their parents died. Jeremy had picked the video game he was playing earlier up again, and Matt was "helping" by shouting instructions and observations at him.

Elena quietly took a seat in an armchair and watched him play, but she didn't say anything. When she continued to sit there for over two hours without saying a word or moving, Jeremy glanced at Matt.

"You know, I really expected Damon or Stefan to bring you home kicking and screaming hours ago," Jeremy said, trying to prod some kind of reaction out of Elena. She bobbed her shoulder in a half-shrug, but otherwise remained immobile.

"She and Damon got into a pretty big fight," Matt said. Jeremy nodded at him to continue, as much because he wanted to know as because he hoped annoying Elena would get her back to herself sooner. "Like, it was the talk of the party. First, he _did_ try to drag her away from the party after she'd disappeared upstairs with Elijah."

Jeremy raised a skeptical brow.

"Hey, don't look at me," Matt said. "I wouldn't have noticed, but Rebekah wouldn't stop talking about it. Anyway, he tried to make her leave, but she didn't want to. Then, he all but screamed that he loved her, but your sister threw it back in his face. He stormed off, but if it weren't for him…" Matt trailed off and looked down at his hand. Jeremy winced in sympathy.

Elena turned just enough to glance at Matt's bandaged hand. She frowned before clambering out of her chair and back upstairs without a word to either of them. When Matt asked him what that was about, Jeremy just shrugged. After finishing his level, he decided she might have the right idea. Maybe things would start to make more sense in the morning.

* * *

They didn't.

Matt was just starting to stir on the couch when Jeremy came downstairs. Without a word, they migrated into the kitchen, where Jeremy made coffee and Matt made toast. They both leaned against the kitchen island to eat while the coffee started to wake them up.

Ten minutes and another cup of coffee later, Elena came downstairs. She was dressed like she was channeling Katherine. Black, form-fitting leather jacket, vibrant red tank, and skinny black jeans. She'd left her hair down, but it didn't do anything to soften her appearance. She didn't say a word as she poured coffee into a travel mug, grabbed her keys, and left.

"And good morning to you, too," Matt muttered.

"Was she wearing her patented 'I'm sick of your bullshit face'?" Jeremy asked. "Or was it just me?"

"Not just you," Matt answered before taking another sip of his coffee. "Who do you-"

"Damon," Jeremy said without hesitation. The face Elena had been wearing was usually reserved for two people: himself and Damon, and she hadn't said anything to him.

"Ah."

* * *

Less than an hour later, the slamming of the door signaled Elena's return.

Jeremy and Matt had returned to the living room, where Jeremy was once more playing his game at Matt's insistence. However, he was quickly losing his patience with Matt's attempts to help. Jeremy was counting the minutes until Matt would have to leave to go to work. But when Elena threw herself down on the couch between them, grumbling to herself under her breath, he gave that his full attention.

"And how is our least favorite Salvatore moron this morning?" he asked.

"Stupider than usual," Elena grouched. "He slept with Rebekah. Got to start my day by seeing her smug, irritating face."

Jeremy raised a brow at his sister, but it was Matt who gave voice to what they were both thinking. "So, you're what? Jealous?"

"What? No, that'd be… Don't be so… Of course not… It's just- Of all the people…" Elena paused and took a deep breath. "I wanted to tell them what I learned last night and to apologize for something I shouldn't have said. But there she was, and he practically threw her in my face. I couldn't even look at him while I told him and Stefan about Esther's plan."

"Which is what?" Jeremy asked. "You never said what you learned."

"Intensity is hereditary," Elena said. "Their mother might be crazier than the rest of them."

Jeremy looked askance at her. "Crazier than the man who came here with the express purpose of draining you of your blood just so he could be extra immortal?"

"Crazier than the one who shattered my hand because it amused him?" Matt asked, waving his bandaged hand at her. "Crazier than the girl who locked us all in the high school so she could play a sick version of truth or dare?" Matt continued.

"Yes," Elena said simply. "Crazier than the oldest, who is going along with his mother just to commit magical suicide."

At the blank looks Matt and Jeremy gave her, Elena elaborated. She told them what Esther had told her - about the plan to link all the Originals together, to use Finn's willingness to die to kill all of them, and then the forceful use of her blood to accomplish those aims.

"Well," Matt said, hesitation heavy in his voice after hearing about how she was hurt too. "We wanted Klaus dead, and we'll get that as well as the rest of them."

"But, Elijah-"

"Elena," Jeremy said. He hesitated because he knew Elena felt something for Elijah even if she couldn't admit it - even to herself. "Klaus needs to die. The rest of them are collateral damage."

"You sound like Damon," Elena said as she stood up again. She started to leave but threw some parting words over her shoulder that had Jeremy and Matt looking at each other in concern. "She took more of my blood than she said she needed. I think there's a price to pay for me not helping willingly, but I have no idea what it is. If either of you see Elijah, tell him I need to talk to him."

She went up to her room, and then the house was silent.

"What do you think Esther would do to Elena for not helping?" Jeremy asked.

"I don't know," Matt said. "But she already tried to kill her from the other side. If she's got what she needs from Elena…"

"Then, she's a loose end," Jeremy said. "Damn."

Just then, there was a knock on the door. Jeremy got up and went to the door, and seeing who was on the other side, he almost wanted to pretend he hadn't heard the knock. But, Elena had said she wanted to talk to him, and loath as Jeremy was to admit it, Elijah knew more about magic and his mother than they did. He sighed, knowing that Elijah had already heard him cross the room, and having been invited it, knocking was a mere curtesy. He opened the door.

"Elijah," Jeremy said, nodding his head at the suit-clad Original.

He noticed that although Elijah looked composed as usual, the image was frayed at the edges. His hair lay as though he couldn't stop running his fingers through it. The fingers of his left hand were tapping against his thigh.

"Good morning," Elijah greeted, then without pausing for a response, he continued, "Is Elena in?"

Jeremy hesitated. Last night, at Elijah's house, Elena had been used as a spell ingredient, and Matt's hand had been broken. Today, she was acting out of character, and Jeremy didn't know how much of it had to do with this man's crazy family.

"Jeremy," Elijah said. "Is she here?"

Jeremy sighed, allowing what his sister wanted to decide his answer, even if he didn't like it. If there was a chance Elijah could get her back to her usual self, Jeremy would be willing to try.

"She's in her room. She hasn't been herself since she came home last night."

He didn't have a chance to say anything more before Elijah flashed past him and up the stairs. He followed at his slower, human pace, and Matt followed him.

When they reached the top of the stairs, Elijah was knocking on Elena's door. Jeremy stood at the top of the stairs, and Matt was a step below him. They watched the door remain closed. Even when Elijah called out to her, nothing changed.

"Let me check on her," Jeremy said. To preserve her privacy, Jeremy went through their bathroom to her room.

Elena was sitting in the middle of her bed with her journal open in front of her. She was writing frantically, and she jumped when Jeremy cleared his throat from the bathroom door.

"Oh! Jeremy, you scared me."

He raised a brow. Hadn't she heard Elijah knocking – on either door? "Sorry. Just thought you'd like to know that Elijah's here," Jeremy said. He leaned against the door frame.

A brief look of confusion passed over Elena's face, but it cleared, and she smiled at him. "So, what's up? Why are you checking on me?"

Jeremy cocked his head to the side and narrowed his eyes, but repeated himself anyway. "Elijah's here, and he wants to talk to you. And I figured, since like ten minutes ago, you wanted to talk to him..."

Elena furrowed her brow. "What?" she asked. "Sorry, I didn't catch that."

Jeremy frowned, but instead of trying to talk again, he decided to show her, concern for her privacy was overruled by confusion about what was going on with her. Pulling open her door, he gestured at Elijah, who was standing with his hand raised to knock again, as if he hadn't heard Jeremy talking to Elena.

"He wants to talk to you," he said. He was looking at Elena as he said this, so he saw her frown as she twisted her head to see, as if Elijah wasn't dead center in the doorway.

"Who? Oh, hey, Matt," she said. "You could have just come in." The two boys looked at each other and back at her, frowning, but Elena had turned back to her journal. "Well, Matt, what's up?" she asked without looking up. She patted the bed next to her with her free hand.

Matt walked past Jeremy and Elijah to sit where she indicated, quietly asking her what she was writing. Jeremy turned his attention to Elijah, noticing the blank look on the man's face.

When Elijah turned from looking over the room, his eyes were colder than before. "I thought you said Elena was in her room."

Jeremy turned back to look at his sister's bed, where she was sitting with Matt. She was running her fingers over the back of Matt's injured hand, and the two were speaking quietly. Looking back at Elijah, Jeremy confusion reached new levels.

"She's right there," he said, pointing at the bed.

"The only person I see in this room is Matt Donovan," Elijah said. "If Elena's not at home, you should have said so. I will seek her elsewhere. I don't appreciate being lied to."

"I'm not lying," Jeremy protested. "Elena is sitting on her bed, right freaking there!"

"Enough lies," Elijah said, waving his hand in a dismissive gesture. "If you see her, please tell her I still wish to speak to her." He turned on his heel and was gone before Jeremy could blink.

Jeremy turned back into Elena's room, and he sat on the foot of the bed, listening to the two friends chat for a bit until they noticed he had joined them.

"What was that about?" Matt asked.

"What was what?" Elena asked.

"I don't know," Jeremy sighed. "Elena, why did you act like you couldn't see Elijah?"

"Huh?" she said. "Sorry, Jer, I can see you speaking, but the words won't connect to my brain."

"What about now?"

"Yeah, I hear you fine now."

"But," testing a theory, he asked, "if I mention Elijah, nothing?"

She cocked her head to the side.

"I think it's just things to do with Elijah," Matt said, coming to the same realization. And Elena frowned at him.

"Now it's happening with you too, Matt," she said.

The boys shared a significant glance.

"I think I have an idea of what Esther might have done to you," Jeremy said. "But I have no idea how to tell you."

* * *

 **A/N: As a reminder, currently, this story updates on Wednesdays and Saturdays. I do have another story that I'm starting to put on paper. It's likely to be longer than this one. At the moment it's looking pretty epic, but I want to get more on the page before I start to share it. For now, I'll leave you with the title to entice and tease you: _The Doppelganger Kerfuffle._**

 **As always, thanks for reading!**


	7. Let's Make A Deal

**Disclaimer: I don't TVD, no matter how much I wish I did. Any recognizable characters, plots and dialogue belong to the L.J. Smith and the CW.**

 **A/N: Another quick thank you to everyone who has reviewed and favorited this story. You make a writer's day brighter. Also, a quick note that I have a tumblr with the same user name as here. Right now, it's a lot of writer reblogs, but also posts about what's coming up for me, story ideas that have popped up, etc. Okay, self-promotion over, and onto the story!**

* * *

 **Bonnie**

The incessant ring of her phone is what roused Bonnie from a perfectly good lazy morning. She hadn't gone to the ball the night before but had been up late reading through Grams' grimoire. With the Originals deciding to settle in Mystic Falls, she didn't know what spells might be useful to have in her repertoire. She had also listened with half an ear when Esther had come to talk to Abby before the ball. She wasn't sure what to make of what she had heard, but apparently, her time to mull it over would be cut short this morning.

She snaked a hand out from under her comforter, groaning. She clicked answer and flopped back against her pillows.

"Hullo," she answered. She hoped it sounded more like a word than the growl she heard.

"Bonnie!"

She pulled the phone back from her ear, recoiling at the sudden volume. "Jeremy? What-"

But she didn't get the chance to finish asking her question. Jeremy had already began rambling. He said something about Elena, Elijah, Esther, a spell, Matt getting hurt, and even more that she couldn't understand.

"Wait! Slow down, Jeremy," she said, managing to cut across him. His words had woken her more effectively than if he had doused her with ice water. It had been less than a day, and the Originals were already at the heart of new problems. "I need coffee, and then I need you to start over. What happened?"

She heard Jeremy take a deep breath before he began again. She put him on speakerphone as she quickly got dressed and went downstairs to make coffee. She was just pouring her first cup when he got to Elijah's visit, which had, according to Jeremy, ended abruptly only a few minutes ago.

She asked him to repeat himself again, and he complied.

"Elijah and Elena were looking right at each other - no more than ten feet between them - but neither could see the other. When I mentioned one to the other, it was like they couldn't hear me. Elena said it was like the words wouldn't process, and Elijah just looked confused."

"Definitely weird," Bonnie said. She took her first sip of coffee, sighing as it passed her lips. "It could be magic, but something like that would take a lot of power, and why? Why do that - make sure they can't talk?"

"Elena met with Esther last night," Jeremy said. "Even after she said she wasn't going to, she did."

Bonnie rolled her eyes. They should have expected that. "That's our Elena. Esther might have that kind of power. She _is_ pulling from my family line of magic. Do you know what she told Elena?"

Jeremy passed along what Elena had said. He emphasized the bit about Elena not having helped willingly and her fear of repercussions, but then he had a question of his own.

"How do you know Esther's drawing from your family?" He sounded harried. She had a passing thought that they should all be used to this kind of thing by now, but how do you get used to the supernatural taking over your life?

"She came by last night," Bonnie said. "She talked to Abby. I didn't think it was anything too important, or I would have met with her too. I figured she just wanted to meet with us and thank us for letting her out of the coffin. I listened a bit but stayed out of it."

"And you didn't think this was something worth sharing?" Jeremy asked.

Bonnie felt her hackles raising. She had a lot on her plate. They all did. "It didn't seem like a big deal," she repeated. "When did it become required that we all share everything?"

"When a thousand-year-old witch came back to life and insisted on keeping all of her homicidal children in one town," Jeremy said. "We need to be on the same page." He was quiet for a moment, and Bonnie didn't feel the need to fill the silence. He sighed. "Sorry. I shouldn't be jumping down your throat. I'm just worried. Elena is doing her shut down and act like everything's fine thing."

Bonnie took a deep breath. "Yeah, I get that. If she wanted to keep Elena from warning Elijah about her plan, then yeah, she probably has enough power from my family to do a spell like that."

"It's more than a spell," said a new voice. Bonnie jumped and knocked her coffee over. She groaned as she watched it spread across the kitchen counter. When she turned to find the source of the voice to yell at them for scaring her, she saw a stranger smirking at her through her kitchen window. He had slightly disheveled brown hair and brown, bordering on black eyes. The longer her eyes lingered on him, the wider his smirk became. "Hello. Name's Kol, darling," he said. "And I think we need to talk."

"Is someone there?" Jeremy asked.

"He says his name's Kol," Bonnie said.

"He's one of Elijah's brothers," Jeremy said as his voice steadily rose in pitch. "The one who broke Matt's hand. Don't-"

Kol cut across whatever Jeremy was going to say, and Bonnie absently heard the phone line click off.

"I understand your boyfriend's worry, but I rather think you'll want to hear what I have to say."

The man talking to her seemed nothing like a psychopath who would break someone's hand for simple amusement at a town party. Bonnie kept her guard up, though, having learned not to trust anyone new.

"I would apologize about your friend's hand, but I think we both know I wouldn't mean it. However, I think your doppelgänger friend is in danger."

" _Elena's_ always in trouble, and lately it seems your family is always the cause."

"This time it's my mother," Kol said. "As a witch, you know what she might be capable of. But, I'd rather not have this conversation through a kitchen window."

"I'm not inviting you in," Bonnie said as she kept her eyes steady on Kol's. They were completely unreadable to her, and she found she wasn't at all surprised. "And there's no way I'm going out there."

Kol chuckled. The sound was darkly attractive, but Bonnie shook that thought away as soon as it crossed her mind.

"I would expect no less, darling. How about a compromise? We'll meet back at the front door. You can open it, and we can talk, each from our own side of the threshold. And when your boyfriend inevitably shows up to defend you, as a sign of good faith, I won't harm him."

"Jeremy's not-" Bonnie stopped mid-sentence. Kol had no right or need to know that she and Jeremy weren't together. She nodded her head and heard the telltale sound of a vampire flashing away as she turned to pour herself a new cup of coffee.

Mug in hand, she made her way to the front door. She was unsurprised to see Kol already there. He was leaning against one side of the doorframe, as close to the threshold barrier as he could be.

"Let's talk, darling," Kol purred.

Bonnie pursed her lips at him. "Stop calling me that."

"What should I call you then, beautiful?" he asked.

"Not that either," she said. "My name's Bonnie. Bonnie Bennett."

"Well, then, Miss Bonnie Bennett, let's talk."

She stood in the center of her doorway staring at him. She lifted her cup and took a long sip as she watched him, which was when she saw Jeremy whip into her driveway with Elena's car. He was out of the car as soon as he had cut the engine. Kol stepped back as Jeremy raced for the door, and let Jeremy go to Bonnie without interference.

Jeremy looked Bonnie over quickly before he turned to glower at Kol, who had resumed his lazy pose against the door frame. Bonnie put a hand on his arm to keep his quiet while gesturing with her other hand for Kol to get on with it.

"Is this all we're expecting?" Kol asked. "I don't want to keep repeating myself, but I worry that what I'm going to tell you might incite a panic, based on what Elijah has told me about you and your friends."

"We weren't expecting anyone," Bonnie pointed out. "You showed up and decided we needed to talk, so talk."

Kol raised a brow. "Being on that side of the door makes you brave, little witch. Very well. Have you noticed anything strange about your doppelgänger since the ball last night?"

Jeremy answered with a quick yes while Bonnie was saying that she hadn't seen Elena since before the ball.

Kol focused his attention on Jeremy. Bonnie didn't like the calculating look in those dark eyes at all. However, she had learned that Originals shared what they wanted to only when and how they chose. She hated it, but in order to get information, they had to play Kol's game for now.

"What was different?"

Jeremy hesitated for only a moment before talking about Elena's withdrawal last night and what happened when Elijah visited that morning. Kol nodded along as Jeremy talked, as though none of what was being said was news to him.

He shifted before moving to sit cross-legged on the porch in front of the door. Bonnie followed his example, and Jeremy did too after a moment.

"That's what I thought," Kol said. "It's a curse of my mother's own invention, and I had hoped I might be wrong. It's come to be known as _separatum animarum_ , and most covens have banned its use."

"I mean, it just stops them from seeing each other, right?" Jeremy asked. "That doesn't seem so bad as far as curses go."

Kol rooted around in his pocket for a moment before pulling out a couple worn pages. They were covered in runes Bonnie couldn't read, but he pointed to a few lines at the bottom. They were smaller text and written in dark, rusty red runes.

"Here is where it says that if the two people under the curse don't communicate for a length of time, they will grow progressively weaker. To the point of falling into a coma. You know the type of coma that only 'true love's kiss' can wake you from. But, that's where the wrinkle is. See, Mother's curse can only be used in the rare case of a soulmate pair."

Bonnie and Jeremy were both struck dumb by Kol's words.

"Soulmates?" Jeremy asked.

"How long can they go without communicating?" Bonnie asked at the same time.

Kol smirked at them. "Yes, soulmates. And, as for how long, that depends on the pair. I would say we have a few days, but if they start getting weaker, well…"

"We're running out of time," Bonnie said. "Okay, so that's bad. How do we counter it?"

"That's what Mother's notes are for," Kol said, again holding up the pages. He handed them across the threshold, and Bonnie took them.

"Great, but I can't read runes," she said.

"Huh. If only there were someone here who could read them and who wanted to help," Kol said. He looked around as if hoping to spot their savior, then shot a significant look at Bonnie.

"What's in it for you?" Bonnie asked.

"Clever witch," Kol said, and Jeremy growled in response. "Oh, hush, you. While I was snooping in my mother's room and finding these helpful notes, I noticed that she'd cast another spell recently. This one has a bit of a more direct impact on my life. See, Mother linked me and all my siblings together. And I have quite enough enemies on my own, but if you factor in anyone who wants to hurt any of us, well… Suffice it to say, I am quite concerned with my well-being."

"You want us to undo the linking spell," Bonnie said.

"Yes, Bonnie Bennett! Exactly. I'd rather only have my own life and back to be worried about."

Bonnie frowned as she looked at him without answering.

"But, if Elena's life isn't enough to motivate you, I have one other piece of information. When you all killed Mikael, Mother learned that when an Original is killed, their entire bloodline dies with them."

"Which means, what?" Jeremy asked.

"It means, kid, that if the beautiful Bonnie doesn't unlink us and we were to be killed, every vampire - including the Salvatores, Caroline, and Tyler - will die. It is genocide. And in case that's not enough, without unlinking us, you won't have the information to uncurse Elena. She'll grow progressively weaker until she falls into a coma, which she'll never wake from because the only person who could have saved her will be dead.

"How about it, Bonnie Bennett? Help unlink me from my siblings or lose both of your best friends while killing an entire species?"

"It's a species that never should have existed," Bonnie said, but her voice wavered. "Vampires have thrown nature out of balance."

"A thousand years ago, yes," Kol said. "But there's been a millennium for it to gain equilibrium. To kill us all now, would just throw it out of balance again."

Bonnie continued to hesitate, and Jeremy turned to face her.

"You can't seriously be debating this," he exclaimed. "It's Elena and Caroline! They're your best friends. My sister!"

"I'm a witch," she said, clinging to the tenets Grams had taught her in the brief time they had to practice together. "I'm not supposed to meddle in vampire business."

"That's never stopped you before!" Jeremy exclaimed.

Kol chuckled. "Sound logic there, kid. What's it going to be, darling?"

Bonnie closed her eyes and released a heavy sigh. "I really hate being forced into things. I know I'm going to regret this, but, Kol, would you like to come in?"

Kol jumped to his feet and stepped over the threshold.

"Wonderful. Let's save my life - or the world - whichever is a better motivator."


	8. New Developments

**Disclaimer: I don't TVD, no matter how much I wish I did. Any recognizable characters, plots and dialogue belong to the L.J. Smith and the CW.**

 **A/N: All my love to all you wonderful readers. I am happy to know how much you're enjoying this labor of love. Nothing more to say, and onto the next chapter. I hope you enjoy some more of Kol's snarkiness!**

* * *

 **Kol**

"Whichever is a better motivator," Kol said after he stepped over the threshold. He walked right past Bonnie and her "bodyguard" - as if a lanky teen boy could do anything to stop him if he wanted to do anything to Bonnie. To prove that point, he knocked shoulders with the boy as he passed. All he got in response was an aggravated grumble and a scowl.

Walking down the hallway, he saw a sitting room to the left. Despite the bright morning light, the burgundy curtains were still pulled almost completely across the picture window. It left the room bathed in dim, rusty light that Kol found appropriate for the ominous discussion bound to follow.

"Sure," Bonnie mumbled as she followed behind him with the boy, "just make yourself at home."

"Will do, darling," Kol said. He sat himself on the plush white couch, right in the beam of light coming through the curtains. The feel of the sun on his back was pleasant, and it would make it harder for the other two to read his face. But theirs would be clear to him, an advantage he was happy to take advantage of.

He watched the them take the matched set of overstuffed maroon armchairs as he stretched his arms out along the back of the couch. Matching his movement, the boy spread his legs wider and spread his hands over the ends of the armrests. He was not-so-subtly trying to make himself look bigger while Bonnie chose a different approach. She sat on the very edge of her seat, closest to Kol, but ready to move if anything should happen. Fight versus flight personified.

"I told you not to call me that," Bonnie said. "Either use my name or don't, but I am not your 'darling.'"

"Such a feisty little witch," Kol said. He wore his arrogant smirk unabashedly. "I like it."

The boy growled and Kol had to resist the urge to laugh. It was funny that the boy thought he might be considered threatening.

"Jeremy," Bonnie warned as she glanced at her companion. "Don't."

"Ah, you're the Gilbert boy," Kol said. He watched the boy's minute flinch of surprise. "Yes, I've heard about you. My siblings have quite a lot to say about all of you. You're 'loyal to a fault and very protective,' particularly of your sister, but I see it's not just the doppelgänger you're protective of." He watched the boy glance at Bonnie. One look full of care, guilt, and worry. "Let me guess, former lovers?" He pointed from Bonnie to Jeremy and raised his eyebrows.

A brief look passed between Bonnie and Jeremy, but both looked away so quickly he was surprised neither suffered whiplash from the movement.

"That's a yes," Kol said. "And it ended recently." He turned to face Jeremy fully. "Maybe you shouldn't be here. You might throw my witch off her game."

Both of them began to protest at the same time.

"I am NOT _your_ -" Bonnie exclaimed, but she was interrupted by the ferocity of Jeremy's outburst.

"She's not your anything!"

Kol's grin grew, and he opened his mouth to taunt them some more, but Bonnie stopped him before he could say anything.

"I didn't invite you in so you could harass me and Jeremy. Either share what you know or get out," she hissed.

Kol arched a brow. "Are you going to make me? What will happen to Caroline and Elena?"

She scowled, and he had a fraction of a second of warning before searing pain ripped through his head. It felt like someone was shattering his skull with a sledgehammer. He was surprised at the force of her spell, but he and his family had been the target of this trick many times over the centuries, and unlike younger vampires, this wouldn't hold him down for long.

After a moment, he was able to sit up and lean in toward Bonnie until they were nose-to-nose. He rubbed a couple fingers against his temple, but otherwise, there was no sign of the pain that still reigned in his head. He growled and a hint of his true visage slipped through his tenuous control.

"Careful, little witch," he said, his voice low and dangerous. "You wouldn't like me when I'm angry."

Kol couldn't explain why the comment made Jeremy snicker, but it was enough to make him look away from the witch for a second. The pain also slipped away as she glanced over at Jeremy as well, fighting a smile.

"I can't believe I just heard someone say that unironically," Jeremy said. "Never thought I'd hear that."

"Jeremy, this isn't the time," Bonnie admonished.

"Sorry, sorry," Jeremy said, though he didn't sound at all apologetic. "But you gotta admit, it's pretty funny. I mean, I guess an Original and the Hulk do have some things in common - incredible strength, anger issues-"

"Jeremy…" Bonnie sighed.

Kol was lost, looking between the two. He didn't appreciate being mocked, but he felt like he wasn't the butt of this joke - though he didn't know.

Jeremy caught sight of Kol's face and snickered again. "Being stuck in a box sure means you miss out on pop culture. Okay, I'm gonna show you something so you can see what's so funny. Cool?"

Kol shrugged. He wasn't sure how he felt about what Klaus had done to him being brought up in so cavalier a manner, but if it meant not being in the dark, he was interested.

Jeremy pulled a small device out of his pocket. In the brief time his siblings had tried to catch him up, he thought they had called it a smartphone. Jeremy tapped the screen a few times before turning it around so Kol could see. He watched as a mundane man said the same words Kol himself had just used, but a few seconds later, the man transformed into a hulking green creature. The creature flipped a car with ease as a voice talked about the "Incredible Hulk" and the man who became him.

When that video ended, small pictures popped up, and Kol tapped one before Jeremy had a chance to take his phone back. This time, a more realistic, but even larger, green man filled the screen. He was shown scaling a tall building and smashing opponents as he went.

"What is this?" he asked. Both his anger and his deal with Bonnie were forgotten in favor of these moving images and the never-ending links to new videos. Jeremy turned the screen a little so he could see, and he chuckled.

"The first one was from an old show - The Incredible Hulk. But this is a trailer for a movie that due to come out in a few weeks. The character's the same, but redone. I can't wait to go see it. You could come with," Jeremy said, hesitating a little. "You know, if you haven't turned on us and killed me."

"And if he's still alive," Bonnie snapped. "Remember the whole reason I broke this house's no vampire rule? Because if he's not alive, neither is Caroline, and Elena may as well be dead too."

Jeremy had the decency to look abashed, and muttered an apology under his breath. Kol was less apologetic. There was still so much to learn now that he was awake again, but he had to be alive to do so. He turned to look at Bonnie because she was taking charge now, and he was willing to listen. For now.

"First, I need a way to know you're telling the truth when you translate your mother's curse for me," Bonnie said as she waved the pages he had given her. "You could tell me anything to make it look like you're holding up your end of the deal, and I've been burned before."

"You are a clever witch," Kol said. "Of course, coming from Ayana's line, I'd expect nothing less. I know a few truth spells, but I don't personally want any of them cast on me - nasty things, you know. But, I do have one other trick up my sleeve if you're interested?"

Bonnie cocked her head to the side, reading him. She nodded slowly.

"Fantastic! It's a cool trick I picked up in Africa. It's a spell the temporarily allows you read another language, as long as it's the mother tongue of the witch you're channeling."

"That's great," Bonnie said sarcastically. "But I don't know any witches whose mother tongue is Norse."

"You're looking at one."

"You're not a witch," Bonnie said, confidence colored her tone. "You can't be a witch and a vampire. Not even an Original."

Kol nodded. "True, but this is a spell of my mother's doing, which should tell you the power that runs through my family. And I was the only one of us to tap into my powers before she turned us, so if it's going to work, I'm your best bet. And if it helps, I've been used for this spell before, by witches with less raw power than you. This will work."

Bonnie still looked unsure, but before she could ask another question, her phone rang. Even without looking, she said, "That's Elena. One sec."

She answered the phone under the full attention of the room. Jeremy looked concerned and leaned toward Bonnie. Without effort, Kol could hear both sides of the conversation. Bonnie wasn't able to say much through Elena's ceaseless words, though. She told Bonnie about her meeting with Esther, a bowl of blood, spelled champagne, Damon sleeping with Rebekah - which Kol was definitely going to use against his sister later - and not being able to find Elijah.

Even with enhanced senses, Kol could barely keep up with the flow of Elena's words. Bonnie just looked lost. There was a pause on the other end, probably so the doppelgänger could gasp for breath, and Bonnie took advantage.

"Breathe, Elena," she said. "Have you called Caroline?"

"She's already here."

"Okay. Make some tea. I'll be over soon."

Elena agreed, and the phone line went dead. Jeremy offered to drive her before Bonnie could lower the phone.

"I'm coming too," Kol said.

"Not a good idea," Jeremy said. "Elena won't want you near after you hurt Matt."

"But you're not concerned?" Kol asked with a raised eyebrow.

Jeremy shrugged. "Nah. I mean, I don't trust you or anything, but I know what you're after, and killing us or Elena isn't going to get it for you. But Elena's gonna trust you even less."

"I agree. You can stay here," Bonnie said.

"Nope," Kol said. He popped the p and hopped up. "I'm not letting you get away from me. What if something happened to the only person who can help me? Consider me your shadow."

Bonnie looked over at Jeremy, who held his hands up at her. "Hey, there are worse things than an Original watching your back. Even if it is only for selfish reasons. It worked pretty well when Elijah was watching out for us for Elena."

Bonnie scowled. "Yeah, for everyone but Elena."

"This is different."

She relented, and that was how Kol found himself invited into the Gilbert house and learning how to play video games downstairs with Jeremy while Bonnie was upstairs futilely trying to replicate his mother's privacy spell. He was glad she was struggling with it since that gave him the chance to half-listen to their conversation while he quickly picked up killing massive numbers of digital people.

"This is great," he told Jeremy, but he kept his voice down because they had snuck him into the house to avoid the Elena issue for as long as possible.

He was about to stop listening to the girls' conversation, which was squarely focused on Damon - if Kol didn't _know_ Elena was meant for his brother, he would think she was Damon's. She sounded positively jealous of finding Rebekah with him that morning. But then, he heard his name come up. Bonnie was talking about Esther's visit the night before, and Kol was interested in Elena's seemingly genuine concern of what Esther was going to do to his siblings - though most of her concern centered on Elijah. But then, Bonnie mentioned Kol.

"There have been a couple of odd visitors at my house lately," she said. "Esther last night and Kol this morning."

"Kol?" Elena asked. "What did he want? After he hurt Matt, I wouldn't trust him anywhere near me. I think he might even be crazier than Klaus."

Kol smirked. That was something at least. There was a perfect moment of silence upstairs, and then he heard Bonnie mumble, "He _might_ be downstairs with Jeremy playing-"

The rest of her sentence was cut off by Elena exclaiming, "WHAT?!" The door to her bedroom was yanked open and slammed into a wall before three sets of footsteps raced for the stairs. He took the moment before they appeared to pause the game - "Hey!" Jeremy exclaimed, but he turned at the sound of the footsteps as well. Kol turned around to watch the stairs and donned his most charming smile.

Which had no effect on Elena's racing heart. At the bottom of the staircase, she froze, staring at Kol and how close he was to Jeremy. When Bonnie and Caroline joined her, she turned to glare at Bonnie, who just said, "Hey, I'm not the one who invited him in. I don't have that ability."

Elena turned her glare on Jeremy, who stood and moved to lean on the back of the couch. "I know," he said, "but he's going to help us figure out what's wrong with you." Kol noticed he left out that they knew what was happening with Elena.

"Me?" Elena said. "Nothing's wrong with me! What has he told you to make you think that?"

"You're acting-"

"It's more to do with who you can't find," Kol said as he joined Jeremy. He wondered how vague he needed to be to work around his mother's curse.

"Elijah?" Elena asked. Well, apparently that question was vague enough. "What have you done to him?" The fear was starting to seep out of her posture, replaced by a fierceness he hadn't expected.

"I didn't do anything to my brother," Kol said.

A frown flickered across her face. Okay, so that was too specific. Interesting limits his mother had set. Kol would need to see what could be done with that.

Just then, there was a knock at the door. After a moment, Elena went to answer it.

"Miss Gilbert," the newcomer said. "My mother has sent me to collect you, and I'm afraid you don't have a choice."

"Finn?" Kol asked.

"Brother," Finn said. He nodded his head in Kol's direction. "This complicates matters a little, but I'm sure Mother's magic will work still."

Kol noticed that none of the others were moving. Maybe they didn't recognize the threat here. However, when he tried to move, he found he was unable. Ah, yes, Mother's magic…

"And what makes you think I'll go with you?" Elena asked. She had her hands on her hips as she stared his eldest brother down. Kol could see why Elijah was interested. The girl's heart was racing. She was unmistakably petrified, but still, there was steel in her voice. There was more to this girl than there appeared. Kol wished he could do something to aid her.

"Mother had hoped you would be more cooperative today," Finn said, "but she made preparations just in case." He blew a pinch of powder in her face. Elena shook her head before meeting Finn's eyes again. His tone sank into the soothing tone used for compulsion. "You will come with me, and you will do so without complaint or resistance."

"Without complaint or resistance," Elena echoed, and her voice now lacked all the personality it had had a moment ago. She followed Finn outside and down the porch steps, where he picked her up and the pair disappeared in a flash.

As soon as they were gone, Kol found he could move again, and he raced for the door. Only to slam into a barrier. He pressed his hand against the still open doorway, and found that for the first time, he was trapped on the inside of a threshold. When the others tried to leave, they were met with the same result.

"What is Mother up to now?" Kol asked no one in particular.


	9. In Which Everyone is Tense

**Disclaimer: I don't TVD, no matter how much I wish I did. Any recognizable characters, plots and dialogue belong to the L.J. Smith and the CW.**

 **A/N: To those of you who have reviewed regularly: You're the absolute best! 3 To those of you who review occasionally: Love to you as well. And to those of you who are just reading this story: I'm glad you keep coming back for more. Everyone who enjoys this story helps me enjoy it a little bit more. Thank you for reading, and now, onto the next chapter!**

* * *

 **Elena**

With every step Elena took, she tried to fight, but it was futile. Somehow, Finn had compelled her to not resist or complain, but that didn't mean she had to like it. She remembered Caroline's father's theory on resisting compulsion, but without practice, she had no success. Of course, that was compounded by the fact that he said you needed a calm mind, and with her following Finn deeper and deeper into the woods, calm was the last thing her mind was.

Finally, Finn spoke again, "We're almost there." He held back a branch for her as she passed with robotic steps.

"Where is there?" she asked.

Finn didn't answer. He started leading her again, but when he spoke, his voice was softer than it had been. "Did you know my family lived her long before Mystic Falls was dreamt of?"

"Rebekah told me," Elena said. She was curious what the area had been like in the time of human Originals, but she hadn't expected to hear about it from the person who kidnapped her as he led her to an uncertain fate.

Finn came to a sudden stop, and he ran his hand up the bark of a tree. He wasn't looking at Elena. She saw that his gaze was distant as he began to reminisce about his home.

"Did Rebekah tell you that the square is where the natives once gathered for worship? Or that, your school is built over their burial site? How about the fact that, just there" - he pointed to a clearing ahead to the left - "is where Mother first taught us some of her craft? Not that any but Kol had an inclination to learn."

He led her forward a while longer. They stood in front of a large boulder familiar to Elena. As she looked around, she realized they were near the entrance to the Lockwood cellar. She didn't know if Finn knew that. He appeared to be still lost in the past.

"Do you know this place as well?" she asked.

Finn nodded. "I do. Below us runs a series of tunnels. It was there that we took shelter from the wolves during full moons. My siblings played while I watched and waited. It was as though nature was providing protection. Mother always said there had to be balance."

"And now balance means that all of you have to die?" Elena asked, taking a careful step closer to Finn.

He turned to look at her, but there was no emotion in his eyes. His gaze was blank, and she thought perhaps that scared her more than the range of emotions she had been subject to from Klaus.

"We are abominations, Miss Gilbert," Finn said. Not only was his face devoid of emotion, but his voice was just as impassive. "We never should have existed, and the only way to counter our impact on the world is for my mother to take back what she has wrought."

"It doesn't seem fair," Elena said as she looked up at Finn, who had turned his gaze back toward the clearing he had indicated earlier. "You didn't ask to be made into this."

"Indeed no," Finn murmured. "Nor would I have asked if I knew what it meant." His face hardened as he turned back to her. "Or that I would spend nine hundred years alone in a coffin. But, we all have our roles to play. And now, yours is to stay out of the way until Mother can complete her spell."

So saying, Finn pulled her close before stomping down with one foot. A cavernous hole opened into the tunnel system, and without another word, Finn jumped with Elena in his arms. Almost as soon as her feet touched the ground, Finn released her and disappeared. Elena looked around, but she quickly realized she wasn't familiar with this section of tunnel. It wasn't along the way to the cavern that she, Bonnie, and Alaric had been working in over the summer.

She reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone to call for someone to come get her, or at least let Jeremy know she was okay. However, she was quick to notice that, not only was there no service down here, but in all the chaos of last night, she had forgotten to plug her phone in. She had less than 10% battery. Hoping and praying for the best, Elena held the phone up as high as she could and checked to see if she could pick up even a single bar. When that failed, she sighed and lowered the phone before switching it off and pocketing it.

She turned and, picking a random direction, started to walk. She hoped she would find an exit soon.

Before she could take more than a half dozen steps, a small stone skittered across the floor. Elena looked up and glanced back where it had come from. She couldn't see anything, but suddenly, a shape materialized and charged her.

Elena's head smacked back against the stone wall, and an arm pressed down against her throat as Rebekah leaned in close, her blonde hair brushing Elena's arms as she growled, "Hello, Elena. Going somewhere?"

"Rebekah?" Elena's voice was slurred from the force of her head hitting the wall. "What- what are you doing down here?"

Rebekah glowered down at Elena. It was her default expression these days.

"It's simple. I'm here to make sure you don't run away," Rebekah said, pressing a little harder against Elena's throat. "You see, everyone seems to want to bend over backwards for you. It's super annoying, but it does make it possible to use their fear to our own ends." She shoved back from Elena, knocking Elena's head against the rock wall again before she stepped away. "However, if you do run, I get to kill you. And personally, I'm hoping that happens, so if you want, I'll give you a head start." The grin she sent Elena's way sent chills down Elena's back, but she faced down the blonde Original.

Elena pressed a hand to the back of her throbbing head, but it came away clean. "And, whose ends are you working toward?" Elena asked as she steadied herself against the wall. She kept her distance from Rebekah, but she had to speak. Even if Damon didn't care what happened to Rebekah, Elena couldn't leave her in the dark. "If you're here, it must be your mother… She wants to kill you. All of you."

"How dare you speak about my mother!" Rebekah said, closing in on Elena again. "You're trying to turn me against her like you did with Klaus! It won't work! I don't trust you anymore - I never should have. All it got me was a dagger in my back!"

Elena found her back pressed against the wall again as Rebekah loomed over her. She didn't want to cower, but there wasn't anything keeping Rebekah from settling her score down here. She needed to try to find a way to escape, but for now, she just needed to stay alive.

"It's true!" Elena said. "She's working with Finn, and she plans to-"

A resounding smack cut Elena off, and the force of Rebekah's slap sent Elena sprawling. "I told you not to speak about my mother!"

Elena used her right hand to break her fall, but a sharp rock split the still healing skin from Esther's cut. As she winced and pulled herself into a sitting position, she heard Rebekah hiss and look down at her own right hand. Elena focused on making sure her own cut was clear of dirt - she was getting very sick of bleeding from interactions with the Mikaelsons - but she was aware of Rebekah looking from her own cut to Elena's.

"What the hell?" Rebekah asked, and Elena was wondering much the same. The sinking feeling in her stomach told her exactly what was happening.

* * *

 **Stefan**

Stefan paced as he listened to Elena's phone ring on the other end of the line. After the third ring, her voicemail picked up again, and he resisted the urge to fling his phone across the room. She had wanted to talk to them this morning, but now that he and Damon were trying to get in touch, she couldn't be bothered to pick up her phone. Yes, they'd told her she was stupid for wanting to stop Esther's plan. Yes, they'd united against her, but it was in her best interest. Why couldn't she see that?

"Where is she?" Damon shouted once he hung up his seventh attempt to reach her. Stefan was sitting on the sofa with his head on the back of it. He hadn't even heard Elena's phone ring before her voicemail picked up, and Damon succumbed to the urge Stefan had resisted, chucking his phone against the far wall. After it clattered to the ground, Damon poured himself a large glass of bourbon and downed half of it. "She went and turned her damn phone off!"

"After this morning," Stefan said without moving, "are you surprised?"

"Elena doesn't usually ignore us just because we disagree," Damon said. "It's not my fault she went and got jealous."

Stefan thought it looked like Damon was preening at the idea of Elena being jealous, but he just rolled his eyes. "I think, given your choice for sleepover companion, it is entirely your fault."

Damon turned and glowered at Stefan. "So, she can go on and on about wanting to save Elijah, even if it means ruining our one and only shot at killing Klaus, but I spend one night with Rebekah and I'm the bad guy?"

"Always," Stefan said. "I'm not saying I agree with her, but she's always seen the best in people, even if it's not really there. Is it surprising she doesn't want to kill Elijah?"

Damon threw back the rest of his bourbon before he spoke, "Whatever. If she's not speaking to me, you can swoop in and sweep her off her feet all over again. Did you a favor."

"She's not speaking to me either," Stefan said as he picked his head up off the back of the couch at last. "Besides, she's better off without either one of us in her life."

Damon scowled. "Fine," he agreed. "Neither gets the girl. But, we still need to find her before she can ruin this plan."

"Have you tried Alaric?"

Both Stefan and Damon turned when another voice answered Stefan's question. "There's no need," Elijah said, entering the room with Alaric a couple of steps behind him. "He's here with me. Maybe he can tell you what he knows about where Elena is. He hasn't wanted to tell me."

Alaric furrowed his brow as he took the sofa facing Stefan. He glanced over at Damon, who had started on a new glass of bourbon.

"I told you," Alaric said, glancing over at Elijah. "I haven't seen her today. She called, but I haven't seen her."

"In fact," Elijah said as if Alaric hadn't spoken, "no one has been able to tell me anything about her. Jeremy claimed she was at home, but she was nowhere to be found."

"I literally just told you for the third time I haven't seen her," Alaric said. "I don't know what more I can say."

Elijah moved to the armchair in front of the fireplace, and he settled in it, drumming his fingers idly against one of the armrests.

"If no one wants to tell me under the misguided impression they're protecting her," Elijah said, the quiet menace Stefan was familiar with lacing his tone, "they should know that I've heard from Kol that there is more at play than previously believed. It is imperative that Elena be found so that she can tell me _exactly_ what she and my mother discussed."

"We heard your crazy mother linked you and all your siblings," Damon said. "Things not working out with mommy dearest?"

"It would be wise, I think," Elijah said, without looking up from where his fingers traced the chair's carved detailing, "not to press me today. Yes, my mother has linked us, and-" His words were cut off by a hiss, and he turned his right hand over.

Across the palm, a jagged cut wept blood. It started to heal almost instantaneously, but it had been there. Elijah eyed the cut carefully, and as he did, he whispered in a voice so low that Stefan had to strain to hear, "Elena…"

Being so recently back on what Damon called the "bunny diet," the scent of even vampire blood was enough to tantalize Stefan, but under the general tang of blood, there was another, familiar scent. The smell of blood that had often been spilt around him, on him, and more recently, _by_ him - Elena's blood, but how was it coming from a cut on Elijah's hand?

By the time all these thoughts had passed through his mind, Elijah's hand had healed completely, though he continued to gaze at his hand, and Stefan turned confused, concerned eyes on Alaric, who was looking back just as baffled.

Elijah shook his head before looking back up at them. "It would appear that Elena is also linked with us. If that's not enough motivation for you to find her, know that, should my mother achieve her goal of killing her children, you will die as well."

"Is that a threat?" Damon asked as he closed in on Elijah.

Elijah glanced up at him without a trace of concern on his face. "As you know, Damon, when I am threatening you, it is obvious. It's a shame you haven't learned to show respect even now. However, no, this is not a threat, simply a statement of fact. When Mikael was killed, we learned that an Original dying kills their entire line of sires. Meaning, should all of us die, every vampire on earth will die. That should sway you to the right side of this conflict. Find Elena and bring her to me. Do so by six past nine tonight."

"How very specific of you," Damon grumbled.

"By 9:07, the moon will be full, and my mother will have the power she needs to kill us all. So, do or do not follow the timeline, but accept that not doing so spells the end of your miserable lives. We all have our parts to play"

"Oh, and what are you going to be doing?" Stefan asked.

"Finding a way to stop my mother and convincing Klaus to help," Elijah responded. He stood, nodded to the three assembled men and flashed out of the room.

"I think you two got the easier task," Alaric said.

Stefan nodded, but Damon just poured himself a third drink and sauntered out of the room.


	10. Differences of Opinion

**Disclaimer: As you know by now, I don't TVD. If I did, a great many things would be different. Any recognizable characters, plots and dialogue belong to L.J. Smith and the CW.**

 **A/N: I can't get over the response to this story. Every comment and favorite means the world to me. I do try to respond to them via PM, but if I missed yours, I'm sorry. Another periodic reminder, that I'm over on tumblr at maetowle dot tumblr dot com, and if you have other questions/comments, that's a good way to get in touch with me. There are also occasional posts about other stories I'm working on.**

 **Okay, enough self-promotion. Onto the story! I hope you enjoy. This chapter's been driving me crazy.**

* * *

 **Rebekah**

The doppelgänger had been sitting on the other side of the tunnel since Rebekah had sent her sprawling. Rebekah couldn't even bring herself to be shocked that Elena had remained quiet for the better part of half an hour. She was too lost in the implications of her hand bleeding exactly as Elena's had. Both wounds had healed almost as quickly as they had opened, which was another concern - the doppelgänger shouldn't heal like that.

But clearly, her mother had left something out when she asked Rebekah to watch Elena for her. Rebekah had been the one to choose the tunnels, hoping to scare Elena even more, but Esther had merely insisted that Elena be kept away from her friends, Elijah, and Kol. Rebekah was starting to think there was truth amongst Elena's words about Esther, but she was so happy to have her mother back that she didn't want to think such things.

"You think I deserve this, I'm sure," Elena said quietly. She was looking up from the stone floor at Rebekah, who glanced at her and away again.

Rebekah closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Whatever respite she had from the doppelgänger's self-righteousness was at an end. Rebekah turned the force of her glare back on Elena and thought about hitting her again, but the link meant she would only be hurting herself - and who knew who else.

"I mean," Elena continued, "after what I did to you, I wouldn't be surprised. But I didn't want this. I didn't know your mom wanted to kill all of you. Once I knew what she planned, I tried-"

Rebekah interrupted what she was sure was meant to be an encouraging and sugary sweet speech, but it was the last thing she wanted right now. "If - and it's a big if - you're telling the truth and these are my final hours, do you think I want to spend them listening to the person who _literally_ stabbed me in the back? Of course not. So, do us both a favor and shut up before I kill us both by ripping your throat out."

Elena scowled and looked away, but Rebekah had already tuned her out again. She withdrew the phone Klaus had given her upon waking her - as if that would make up for 90 years of a dagger in her heart - and played with it. There was no service here, but she wished she could talk to her brothers. Whatever their mother was up to, at least one of them must have some plan. But the only thing she could think was that it was 6:18, and her mother said Elena had to be left unharmed until 9:07.

* * *

 **Bonnie**

In the living room of Jeremy and Elena's house, chaos had taken over. Kol had brought the pages of Esther's curse with him, but Bonnie hadn't brought her grimoire. Given all the events of the past couple years, she should have anticipated the possibility of being trapped, but the thought hadn't crossed her mind.

"It's not as though your grandmother's book would have the spells we need," Kol said as he watched her pace the length of the room. "I don't know why you're so frantic. You have a witchy encyclopedia right in front of you."

Bonnie frowned. It was true that Grams' book had nothing like the linking spell on Elena and the Originals. There hadn't even been a spell to counter the link that Katherine had put on her and Elena the night of the masquerade ball. Bonnie flashed back to how useless she had felt that night, trying to lessen Elena's pain but unable to do anything more. She was feeling that way again, trapped inside the Gilbert house with numerous threats hanging over all their heads.

And if the grimoire had nothing on the linking magic, there was not even a mention of a curse like what had been placed on Elena and Elijah. Grams would never dabble in magic that dark. Then, there was the translation spell Kol said would help her understand his mother's curse. She didn't think there was anything like that in Grams' grimoire either. Just how old was the magic Kol was proposing? Was it safe? Would she have enough power?

She turned to face Kol just as Caroline reappeared at the bottom of the stairs.

"How are the Salvatores?" Kol asked without turning to look as Caroline approached.

"How did you- Never mind." Caroline turned to face Bonnie. "I think Damon's up to something," she said, moving to stand beside Bonnie. "But hopefully Stefan can talk some sense into him. Stefan said Elijah was just there - like you said he would be," she said, directing her comment at Kol. It was clear that she didn't believe a word that came out of his mouth.

"Don't you trust me, darling?" Kol asked, a winning smile on his face as he gazed up at Caroline from the sofa.

"Not even a little," she said.

Kol shrugged. "And what happened when my big brother went to visit?"

"Stefan said Elijah's making them go find Elena, that Rebekah's with her now-" Bonnie winced at that - of course that's who Elena's jailer would be - but Caroline continued - "and that they have to find her by 9:06, which is super specific-"

"The full moon," Bonnie said. "Esther's going to draw power from the celestial event as well as the entire Bennett line."

"Right, but she already linked them, so what does she need the power for?" Caroline asked.

"To make us vulnerable," Kol said. "We're all linked together, but we still have the abilities that made us into her abominations. She needs to make us human - well, mostly human. We need to keep enough of our vampiric nature to maintain the bloodline link. She wants to end all vampires… It's all very complicated."

"But, if you're linked with Elena," Caroline started to say, but Kol cut her off.

"Like I told these two earlier: for all intents and purposes, Elena is part-Original now. Mother could try to kill her, but it would still take more strength than if she were to cast her spell. But, at least we know what we're working with for a timeline. We need to decide what we're going to do and how to get it done."

"The link needs to be the priority then," Bonnie said. She wanted to uncurse Elena, she really did, but- "If Elena's dead, there's no need to figure out the countercurse," she said.

Both Jeremy and Caroline flinched at the severity of her statement, but it was the truth, and sugarcoating it wasn't going to help any of them.

* * *

 **Stefan**

Stefan's phone was ringing. He glanced down, hoping to see Elena's name flashing on the screen even though he knew it was unlikely. It was Bonnie. When he answered, she launched, without greeting, into asking him if he could please, please, _please_ run over to her house and pick up her grimoire.

"If that's what you need, I want to help, Bonnie," Stefan said, "but you've never invited me in."

"Damn," she cursed under her breath.

"You can invite him in over the phone," Kol said. "Should still work. And while you're there, Salvatore, do us a favor and pick up some other things as well." He asked for candles, some herbs, and an athame.

There was a lengthy pause on the other end of the line before Bonnie asked Stefan to please bring those items as well. Then, she wrung a promise from him not to abuse his invitation - or tell Damon about it - before she invited him into her house.

Stefan went as quick as he could. As he was handing the items over the threshold to Caroline, he felt the impossible urge to laugh. Not because Bonnie had taken over the Gilbert living room with every surface in the room covered in candles or dishes of elemental representatives. No, he wanted to laugh because Kol was giving instruction, but he was doing so while tied to one of the wooden dining room chairs. Jeremy was standing over him with one of Alaric's crossbows aimed steadily at Kol's chest, but he didn't seem to notice.

After a moment, the urge to laugh was too great and Stefan chuckled. Kol turned his head at the sound.

"Thought you were helping willingly?" Stefan said, raising an eyebrow at Kol's predicament.

He grinned. "Oh, I am, but they felt they would be more comfortable this way, and who am I to shame someone their urges? I could absolutely get out if I wanted to."

"What?" Bonnie exclaimed, looking up from the page she was scouring. "But you said-"

"I'm an Original, darling," Kol drawled. As he spoke, he yanked his arm upward, and the rope around it hissed faintly before snapping. He rested his chin on his now free hand. "It takes a little more than vervain rope and a crossbow to keep me down."

As if to emphasize Kol's point, Jeremy took that moment to fire a bolt at Kol. It went just wide of Kol's heart. He pulled it out and tossed it away before looking back up at Jeremy.

"That wasn't very friendly, mate," he said.

Jeremy smirked at him. "What? You said, 'shoot me if you feel so inclined, for all the good it will do you.' I felt inclined."

Kol chuckled, and Stefan turned to Caroline.

"What the hell is happening here?" he asked.

She shrugged a shoulder. "I have no idea," she said. "I came back down from our phone call, and it was discussed that we didn't trust Kol. He shrugged that off and asked what would make us more comfortable. Bonnie suggested that," she waved her hand at the ropes wrapped almost completely around Kol and his chair, "he called it kinky, which made Jeremy laugh. That's when Kol said to go ahead and shoot him if it would make Jeremy feel better, and here we are. It's been a weird day."

"When isn't it?" Stefan asked. "I… was honestly expecting more-"

"Bloodshed?" Kol called from the other room.

"Well, yeah," Stefan said. "After what happened at the ball."

"Yes, but the threat of dying, at the hands of one's mother no less, does have a tendency to change one's priorities."

Stefan nodded to that. It was hard to argue that point. When Bonnie and Caroline had reassured him that they had things under control there, Stefan left to work out how he and Damon could find Elena.

However, when he returned to the boarding house, Damon was nowhere to be found. After all of a moment of thought, Stefan ran to where they had stored the dagger and white oak ash. He was entirely unsurprised to find the dagger missing and the jar's stopper slightly out of place.

"Well, shit," he muttered. Like he needed another complication in the day.


	11. Ancestors

**Disclaimer: As you know by now, I don't TVD. If I did, a great many things would be different. Any recognizable characters, plots and dialogue belong to L.J. Smith and the CW.**

 **As always, much love to those of you reviewing this. (A special shoutout to elejahalwaysandforever for reviewing every chapter of this story. You're amazing!) Every review makes me smile, but just knowing that I'm not the only person interested in this story is incredible!**

 **Anyway, here's some more Bonnie/Kol/Jeremy interaction. Gosh they're fun to write!**

* * *

 **Bonnie**

Caroline came into the living room after Stefan left, carrying the bulging bag of supplies. She handed the bag to Bonnie as she settled on the arm of the couch.

"What are we doing first?" she asked.

"Unlinking Elena and the Originals," Bonnie said. "She's in danger every second she's still connected to them."

"True," Kol said. "You know, five immortals, innumerable enemies. One doppelgänger doesn't come out of that very well."

"Hey," Jeremy said, "is the link only physical?" Kol quirked an eyebrow, so Jeremy explained the rest of his thought, "It's just, what if your minds were connected too…"

Bonnie frowned. "Do you think that's possible? That could actually be pretty helpful."

Kol shrugged. "I don't know. I've never heard of that being the case, but hold on." He closed his eyes, and his brow furrowed in concentration.

Bonnie looked over at her friends as they watched Kol. Then, she checked her phone. Elena still hadn't texted any of them back. "It would be nice to know she's okay. I mean, with the link we know she's not hurt, but it's like she fell off the face of the earth."

"That reminds me," Caroline said. "Stefan said Elijah put him and Damon in charge of finding Elena. Apparently, Finn left her in the care of Rebekah."

"What?!" Jeremy exclaimed. "How did that slip your mind? She just tried to kill Elena two nights ago!"

"There's a lot happening, Jeremy," Caroline said. "It's hard to remember what the current disaster is.

"Let's just be grateful only my hand has bled," Kol said. He opened his eyes slowly. "I can sense all of my siblings, and Elena's there too, but I can't hear thoughts. I can feel strong emotions, and with how heightened mine and my siblings' emotions are, Elena's are barely a blip. But, if it helps, fear doesn't seem to be one of them."

The trio let out a sigh of relief, making Kol chuckle.

"Guess it helps," he said. "Is it enough to show you I'm fully on your side and can be untied?"

"Thought you could free yourself?" Caroline asked.

"Oh, I absolutely can," Kol said. "But I was thinking that if we're all on the same team, we should all be free. And it would be a good gesture if you untied me rather than me just shredding the rest of the rope."

Jeremy shared a look with the girls. Bonnie gave a slightly hesitant nod, but it was enough, and he reached over to untie the last bonds keeping Kol to the chair. Once the ropes hit the ground, Kol stood and shook out his limbs.

"Oh, that's better. Thanks, mate. Alright, so let's get down to it. For the unlinking, do you think harnessing the full moon will be enough power for you?"

Bonnie frowned. "I don't know. If I had someone to channel, maybe. But, won't your mom be casting her spell then? How can I unlink you while she's making you all human? What if she kills you before I can finish my spell?"

"Leave Esther to me," Kol said. The veins on his cheeks darkened and his fangs lengthened, Bonnie stepped back instinctively. "If I can't get to her, rest assured, my brothers will handle it." He shook his head and his vampire visage faded away. "Sorry. Let's just focus on getting you the power you need."

Bonnie nodded, but she stayed back where had wound up.

"Maybe…" Bonnie hesitated. "Esther's channeling my family's magic. Maybe I could redirect it or something."

"The entirety of Ayana's line?" Kol asked. "Yeah, that would probably be sufficient. If you can get them to your side."

"They're family," Bonnie said. "I've done spells with some of them before. It can't hurt to ask."

"What are you thinking?" Jeremy asked.

Bonnie glanced at Caroline, who gasped. "A seance? Bonnie, are you sure? Remember what happened last time?"

"Do I remember Emily possessing my body, marching me into the woods, destroying Damon's talisman, and nearly getting me killed because of it?" Bonnie asked, her tone harsh and her eyebrows high on her forehead. "Vaguely. But this is for Elena."

"Jeez, sounds like someone didn't ground themselves before talking to the spirits," Kol said. "Didn't anyone teach you better than that?"

Bonnie turned her glare on him. "No. We weren't do any magic. It was just a girls night thing."

Kol rolled his eyes. "You're magical. Your ancestors are magical. You really think contacting them requires a spell to be magic?"

Bonnie continued to glare.

"Alright, so… Grounding." Kol moved to the bag Stefan had brought. He tipped it over and poured out the contents. "Hmm, no crystals, so that methods out. We can't go outside, so barefoot on earth's not gonna do anything. Ah, sage! That'll help, but it'd be better with sandalwood. No salt? Who brings a witch supplies but doesn't bring salt? Young vampires…."

"Dude," Jeremy said, "we have salt." He went to the kitchen and grabbed the salt from the pantry.

"That's cute," Kol said. "But there needs to be enough for her to lie on for it to work as a grounding agent."

"I think there's rock salt in the basement," Jeremy said.

"That'll work."

Before either guy could move, Caroline flashed away and back. She was carrying a bag over her shoulder. Back in the living room, she tore open the bag and spread the salt out into an oval large enough for Bonnie to lie on.

Kol looked over at Jeremy. "Hope you don't mind we're making a mess of your house, mate."

"If it helps Elena, I'd trash the whole thing," Jeremy said with a shrug.

"If it keeps my ancestors from possessing me," Bonnie said as she moved to the salt, "I will try anything."

Kol's smirk turned lascivious. "Well then, there's one final method for grounding."

"I'm not going to like it, am I?" Bonnie asked.

"Dunno. How do you feel about nudity?"

"Hell no!" Bonnie and Jeremy both exclaimed, and it was hard to tell which was louder. Caroline looked back and forth between the two and had to hide a smile behind her hand. Kol felt no such compunction, and he grinned at them.

"You two really need to find some closure. But, fine, if you're too shy to take that step, the sage and salt should be enough. Unless there's anything else you think ties you to this plane."

"My friends," Bonnie said without hesitation.

Kol nodded. "Hand holding it is. You two," he pointed to Jeremy and Caroline, "while she's communing with the spirits, you're to hold her hands, and you don't let go until she's back and we're sure it's her that came back. Got it?"

They nodded, and the trio moved to take their places on or near the salt.

"You don't need to lie back just yet, BonBon," Kol said.

Bonnie glared up at him. "That's no better than darling," she said.

"Fine, fine. I'll think of something," he said. "You said you've done this part before, right?" She nodded. "Good. Focus on who you want to talk to most. Maybe you don't need to talk to every generation - I'm not sure we have time for that."

Bonnie closed her eyes. Grams was the first to come to mind, and Bonnie called out with all her heart to her. However, she also thought of Ayana. She'd never met the woman, and had only heard stories, but if Ayana's power was even a fraction of what she'd heard, she'd be the perfect place to start getting the ancestors on her side.

As she focused, her body went rigid. Her fingers twitched and tried to pull away, but Jeremy and Caroline held tight. After a moment, she went limp and fell back on the salt. Her friends' hold on her hands never wavered though as Bonnie's spirit traveled away from them.

* * *

 _Bonnie opened her eyes, but found herself in completely unfamiliar surroundings. She was in a one-room house. A fire burned within a small stone hearth on one wall. Nearby, a primitive bed was made up neatly. The opposite wall housed a tidy altar, where candles sat, half of them lit. Above the altar, bundles of drying herbs hung from the ceiling. Beside the altar, shelves were buried in leather-bound books. The few spines Bonnie could make out were decorated with symbols she didn't recognize._

" _Welcome, Bonnie."_

 _The voice made her jump, and when she turned, she met the eyes of a woman with waist-length dark hair, and features that Bonnie had seen in her family photo album. Her eyes exuded wisdom that far outstripped the age on her face._

" _Who are you?" Bonnie asked. "I was hoping to see my grams."_

" _I am Ayana," the woman said. "This is my home, or the memory of it at least. I know you were looking for Sheila, but I felt it was time we meet and talk. What is it you require of us, Bonnie? As you know, another already draws upon our familial power."_

" _Uh-" Bonnie started, but she didn't know how to ask. Ayana was somehow mythical to her. What she had wanted to say was lost._

" _Come, child, tell me what it is you seek," Ayana said. "You mustn't linger long here. Whatever it is, the worst I can do is tell you that I cannot aid you."_

 _She led Bonnie to a pair of cushions near the fire, and they sat, though Bonnie's legs were stiff. It felt like she was wading through peanut butter. It was a relief to sit._

" _I'm here because of Esther," she said after taking a deep breath._

" _Yes, my former student has awoken at last," Ayana said. She nodded slowly. "Has she decided, at last, to rectify the mistake she made in turning her children into those perversions of nature?"_

 _Bonnie frowned. "Yes," she said slowly. This wasn't looking good for her cause, but maybe she would be able to persuade Ayana._

" _Do you wish to help her?"_

" _Um, no," Bonnie said. "I'm trying to find a way to undo one of her spells, and hopefully stop her."_

 _Ayana cocked her head to the side as she regarded Bonnie. "But they are abominations. Their existence threw nature, which we serve, out of balance. I tried to stop Esther before she could create them, but failing that, why should I not aid her now?"_

" _I mean, I don't like them," Bonnie said. "And I want the Originals as far away from my friends as possible, but-"_

" _But?"_

" _But, Esther's planning to use their deaths to end all vampires, and… some of them are my friends. Killing all of them without considering each individual…" She paused. "I don't want my friends to die."_

" _So, you are requesting this from me for purely selfish reasons?" Ayana asked. "All vampires should be allowed to continue living because a few have convinced you they are not monsters?"_

" _Well, yes," Bonnie said. "Not the selfish part. It started that way. My friend Caroline, I wanted to make sure she would be okay. But… there's more to it now. Wiping out thousands, maybe tens of thousands or more, lives - even vampire lives - is genocide, and I can't- I can't do that. That would through nature off balance in its own way, wouldn't it?"_

 _Ayana's lips quirked into a small smile, but she said nothing more as Bonnie continued to reflect._

 _She thought of Kol, and reluctantly Damon, as well as many of the vampires she had met since she had been made aware of them. She didn't trust Kol or Damon, nor did she particularly like either of them. But she didn't think either deserved to die. There might yet be redemption. Kol had been helpful. Snarky and at times disgusting, but overall, nothing like what she had been expecting._

" _I don't think they're irredeemable," Bonnie said in a low voice. "I think that killing them all robs them of a chance to be less monstrous. I don't want to take that from people I've never had a chance to meet."_

 _Ayana's small smile transformed into a grin. "Very good, Bonnie."_

" _Wait, what?" Bonnie sat upright. "Was this a test?"_

 _Another form materialized beside Ayana, and as Bonnie began to make out the woman's features, she took a shaky breath before throwing herself at her._

" _Grams?" she asked, incredulous. "You're here?"_

" _Of course I am, Bonnie. You wanted to see me, and you went to great lengths to do so. You can't stay for much longer, but I need to tell you how proud of you I am."_

 _Bonnie clung to her grandmother and choked back a sob as she asked, "E-even when I-I-I keep getting involved in v-vamp-pire business?"_

 _Sheila Bennett stroked her granddaughter's hair as she answered the shaky question. "Even then," she said. "You are right where you are supposed to be. It's not what I would've chosen for you, child, but I've seen you grow. And today you've proven that you can see the balance, even when you don't necessarily like the choice."_

" _You have the ability to turn the tide before Esther causes more irreparable damage," Ayana said. "We will be behind you when you act against Esther."_

" _You will?" Bonnie asked._

" _We will," Grams said. "But now, it's time for you to go. To remain here any longer would risk your life."_

" _No! I don't want to leave you!" Bonnie exclaimed._

" _Oh, honey," Grams said while stroking Bonnie's hair. She wiped away a stray tear. "We are always with you. I haven't left your side, and you'll never be without me."_

 _Bonnie wrapped her arms around Grams again and held her as close as she could. "Promise?"_

" _Yes, Bonnie," she said._

* * *

The feeling of her grandmother's hand on her back faded away until Bonnie found herself lying on the floor in the Gilbert living room. As she slowly blinked and sat up, she looked down to see her hands still in Jeremy and Caroline's. Both were holding on so tight she was surprised to see she still had her fingers. They were watching her with worried eyes.

"Bonnie?" Caroline asked.

"It's me," Bonnie said. When Caroline raised a silent eyebrow, Bonnie offered proof, "You tell people your favorite color is yellow because it's happy, but you don't have a favorite color."

"Oh, thank GOD!" Caroline said, pulling Bonnie into a hug. Bonnie clung to her best friend and held back the sobs that wanted to break free. It had been wonderful to see Grams again, but once more, they were separated. But she held onto Grams' words. She wasn't alone, and she could do this.

Jeremy rested a hand on her back, rubbing in soothing circles. When she had calmed somewhat, Kol leaned in closer.

"Well?"

Bonnie wiped her cheeks and set her face into a determined expression.

"They'll help."

"Perfect."

* * *

 **A/N: A few chapters back, I mentioned an idea for a new story ( _The Doppelganger Kerfuffle_ ). I wrote out the first chapter, and I'm wondering if anyone would be interested in reading it, even though I likely won't update it until I've finished _Cursed_. But, if there's interest, I would love to start sharing with you my next project!**


	12. Threats & Plans

**Disclaimer: As you know by now, I don't TVD. If I did, a great many things would be different. Any recognizable characters, plots and dialogue belong to L.J. Smith and the CW.**

 **As always, much love to those of you reviewing this. Y'all make this writer a happy writer!**

* * *

 **Elijah**

Elijah left the Salvatore boarding house running his finger over his palm where the mysterious cut had appeared. There was no indication now that it had ever been there, but the image was burned into his mind. Even though he couldn't explain it, he _knew_ it was Elena who had been hurt. Which meant she was linked to them, and that realization left him shaken to his core. He hoped the Salvatores would succeed where he had failed in finding her.

Now, he needed to find Niklaus. He was going to need his brother's rage to overcome their mother's plans. In his car, he called Niklaus. Just as Elijah was thinking his call would go unanswered, Niklaus picked up.

"What do you want, Elijah?" Niklaus asked over the drone of many conversations in the background.

"We need to talk. I'll come to you."

Niklaus hummed. "But I haven't done anything you would disapprove of recently," he said. "At least, I don't believe I have."

"This is not the time for your irreverence," Elijah bit out as he began to drive back to town. "It's about Mother. Where are you?"

Niklaus' tone sobered when he asked, "She's lied, hasn't she? I'm not to be forgiven."

"I don't wish to have this conversation over the phone," Elijah said. "I'll come to you."

"Mystic Grill," Niklaus said before disconnecting the call.

Elijah stepped on the gas and was soon parking in front of the local watering hole. As he entered, he quickly surveyed the other occupants.

Alaric had somehow beat him back to the Grill from the boarding house. He was holding a quiet, medical-centric conversation with the brunette doctor Elijah had seen hanging around the Gilbert house more and more frequently. Matt Donovan was waiting tables, weaving through the dinner rush, but even so, his eyes kept straying back to the bar.

Elijah followed Matt's gaze and found Niklaus at the end of the bar. In front of him sat a nearly-empty tumbler, which he was staring into the depths of. Making his way over to join Niklaus, Elijah gestured to the bartender for two more glasses of whatever Niklaus was drinking.

They were set down just as he took his seat. Facing the bar, he swirled his glass as he asked Niklaus, "Drowning your sorrows?"

"Don't test my patience with your clichés," he said as he threw back the rest of his drink. "What has Mother done?"

Elijah tasted his drink before answering. Twenty-year old scotch that was better than he'd been expecting from this place.

"There is much, so bear with me. Try not to run off in a rage before I can finish," Elijah said.

Niklaus didn't move, but his rigidity in the way he picked up the glass Elijah ordered for him showed that Elijah had his full attention.

"Mother's been busy since her return," Elijah began. "Some of it isn't clear to me, but Kol believes that's to do with one of the spells she's cast. The important thing for you to know is that you're not the only one Mother hasn't forgiven."

"What sin could her favorite son have committed that she can't forgive?" Niklaus asked with a roll of his eyes.

"I think perhaps Finn is her favorite now," Elijah said idly. "But that's not the point. It's a sin we've all committed - continuing to live on as the monsters we are."

Niklaus turned to Elijah at last, his eyes burning with rage. "But she is the one who created those 'monsters!'"

At his outburst, Elijah noticed a few heads turning in their direction. Most notably was Alaric and his companion. But the Donovan boy could be seen edging toward the bar. What he would do in the face of a further outburst was lost on Elijah though. Elijah tried to diffuse the situation before it could get out of hand.

"She seems to think she must rectify that." He paused for a long moment as he took another swallow from his glass. "Out of curiosity, has your palm bled recently, of its own accord?"

Niklaus narrowed his eyes. "She's linked us. Who was hurt, do you know? I'll kill the person responsible as soon as I find them." His eyes flashed a warning amber, and Elijah knew the situation was quickly getting out of hand. There was still more to tell his brother. He couldn't have him rushing off and creating more problems for them. He needed to channel Niklaus' rage in the appropriate direction.

"Here, we begin to venture into the complications I warned you about," Elijah said. "I believe the injured party was Elena, who is currently in the care of our sister."

"There's a lot there I have questions about," Niklaus said. "Most importantly: the doppelgänger's linked as well?"

Elijah ignored the question and plowed on. "I believe that there's at least one more spell at play." He went on to describe his quest to find Elena that day, and the sensation of buzzing in his ears when he'd asked a question about her and the other person was responding. Niklaus' face took on a thoughtful expression as he listened.

When Elijah finished, Niklaus asked, "Did you mention that Kol is with the Bennett witch?" Elijah nodded, and Niklaus pulled out his phone, quickly dialed a number, and waited for Kol to pick up.

Before Kol could say anything on the other end, Niklaus began to speak. "I don't care if you're busy," he growled. "I want to know your theory about what's happening with Elijah."

Klaus was quiet, and Elijah could hear occasional phrases from his youngest brother, but otherwise, the irritating buzzing sound had returned. Niklaus frowned as he nodded before hanging up the phone.

"That's what I suspected," he said. "If Kol's right, we can't kill Mother just yet. The other spell she cast is impossible to remove if the caster is dead. I would assume she figured that was a life insurance policy. And though I don't particularly care if you find who you're looking for, the consequences of the spell being permanent are...unpleasant. Though, I suppose Kol could be completely wrong about what the curse is."

"When has Kol ever been wrong about a curse?" Elijah asked. "I've never known you to be quite so circumspect with your words, Niklaus. What is it you're hiding?"

"It's all part of the curse," Niklaus said with a shrug. "If I choose to be more specific, you won't hear me anyway, so what would that solve?"

Elijah sighed. He felt tired - no, exhausted. For the first time he could remember, he could feel every single one of the days he'd been alive. How had it come to this?

"You look drawn, brother," Niklaus said before taking a sip of his drink and looking away. "Do you feel alright?"

"I am rather stressed, Niklaus," he said. "I had rather hoped that, with Mother's return, we could truly be a family again."

Niklaus clapped a hand to his shoulder before they both settled their focus on their drinks.

"Yes," Niklaus admitted in a quiet voice. "I had hoped so as well."

* * *

 **Alaric**

As Stefan and Damon started to argue about the best course of action for finding Elena, Alaric was relieved to hear his phone chirp with an incoming text from Meredith.

 _Scans are back. Discuss over drinks? -M_

 _Mystic Grill in 15? -R_

 _I'll be the one with whisky and x-rays._

 _I'll be the one needing both._

He excused himself, but for all the notice the brothers took, he might as well have said nothing. He wasn't sure, if that was the state of her rescue crew, that Elena was going to be found and saved anytime soon. Alaric hoped that nothing would happen to her. Elena had come out of a lot of tough scrapes with hardly a scratch, so he clung to the hope that this would be another of those times.

He entered the restaurant and immediately spotted Meredith at one end of the bar. He took the open stool beside her, and as he did, he saw a familiar, vaguely threatening face at the other end of the bar. But Klaus was immersed in staring at his own drink, so Alaric turned to Meredith.

He took the drink that the bartender slid down to him with a nod and tapped his glass against hers.

"Come here often?" she asked, watching the silent interaction between Alaric and the bartender.

"Perhaps too often," Alaric said. "But it pays to be a frequent customer."

"They given you a punch card yet?" she asked. "Buy twenty drinks, qualify for a liver transplant."

"No, that program starts next month, I thought," Alaric said with a grin. He took a large swallow of his drink before letting his somber attitude shine through. "What's the verdict? Or should we keep up the banter to disguise the truth?"

"It's not so bad," Meredith said. She set aside her drink and pulled a manila folder toward her, flipping it open and rifling through pages of reports and printouts of scan results. "A little strange though."

"I would expect no less given where we live," Alaric said. "Lay it on me, doc."

Meredith launched into her explanation of what they had found out, breaking down the jargon as she went. However, Alaric let his eyes stray back to Klaus, only to find that he had been joined by Elijah. When Klaus shouted, "She's the one who made us monsters!" at least half of the bar fell silent and turned toward him. Elijah grimaced and his eyes caught Alaric's for a brief moment before he started to talk his brother down.

Klaus didn't immediately jump up and begin murdering people at random, so Alaric allowed himself to hope that maybe - just maybe - they would survive this latest crisis all in one piece. He put the Originals out of his mind and turned back to Meredith, who was holding up a brain scan.

"Your CT scans were completely clear. The only possibility I can come up with is that you were compelled to forget."

"Are you telling me you think the killer's a vampire?" Alaric asked. He knew that the question should sound crazier than it did.

Meredith must of agreed because she raised an eyebrow at him. "Think about it. In this town, and knowing what we know, it's the obvious conclusion."

"Now, now," Damon said as he stepped up to the bar on Meredith's other side. "Let's not go blaming the neighbors just because some of them have a tendency toward violence." His eyes flickered over to Klaus and Elijah. "Not all of us are homicidal maniacs with no remorse."

"I hope you're not including yourself in that," Alaric said. Damon shrugged in response. "What do you want?"

Damon shook his head, pointing to his ear. Then, he thrust his thumb over his shoulder toward the bathrooms. Alaric sighed, but he had learned that it was easier to just give Damon what he wanted the first time around. Damon had absolutely no understanding of the word no, unless he was the one saying it.

Meredith, however, had other ideas. "We're sort of in the middle of something," she said.

"Is it life or death?" Damon asked.

"It could be."

"Let me clarify: is it life or death in regards to me?"

"Ass," Meredith growled.

Alaric agreed, but when Damon started to head for the bathroom, Alaric still followed. Once inside, Damon bolted the door and stepped unnecessarily close to Alaric.

He spoke, keeping his voice low, "I have a plan."

"Does it involve finding Elena?" Alaric asked. "'Cause that should definitely be a thing that happens."

"I don't take orders from Original stick-in-the-mud assholes," Damon snarled. "Stefan can find her. I'm going to save her. Even though my caring is apparently a _problem_."

"You know she didn't mean that," Alaric said.

"I know she _did,_ " Damon answered. "But it's fine. I'll save her anyway because someone has to make the tough choices, and we all know it won't be my pushover brother or the martyr and overly compassionate girl he's in love with. Now, do you want to help me save her, or not?"

Alaric was resigned to being drawn into whatever harebrained scheme Damon had come up with now. Elena wasn't his daughter, nor by any legal standing, his responsibility. But he thought she was the closest he would ever get to a child, and he would do whatever he could to protect her.

"What did you have in mind?" he asked.

Damon took a step back and slid a familiar silver dagger out of a black cloth. The intention was clear, and Alaric sighed.

"Elijah again?" he asked. "Because it's worked out so well for us in the past."

"It won't work on Klaus," Damon said. He held up a finger as he said it, and for each of the siblings he listed, he raised another finger. "Rebekah's apparently wherever Elena is. Kol's spelled in with Bonnie, Caroline, and Jeremy, and I don't know if I'd be able to get out if I entered. Finn's probably at the side of a psych superpowered witch. That leaves Elijah."

"He'll see us coming a mile away," Alaric argued. "It's not the first time we've done this to him. Besides, you can't use that. Not to mention, we have no idea how it'll affect Klaus, who has a history of going a bit crazy when his family is taken away from him."

"Interestingly, Klaus isn't our biggest problem right now. And, I wondered if your possibly-murderous doctor girlfriend wanted to take a stab at ridding us of some Originals."

"This is quite possibly your worst idea ever," Alaric said as he reluctantly followed Damon back out of the bathroom.

Using his phone, Alaric relayed the plan to Meredith, who, once she'd read it all, looked them both dead on and said, "I'm in."

Alaric watched as Klaus suddenly left Elijah's side after receiving a brief phone call. Then, Elijah turned his focus on Damon, and casually strolled over to where they were sitting.

"You wouldn't happen to know why my brother had to so abruptly leave, would you?" he asked Damon. His eyes never wavered, but Damon slid his best innocent look on his face while Alaric resigned himself to the fact that his best friend really was an idiot.

"Klaus was here?" Damon asked. "Sorry I missed him. Had I known, I would've bought him a drink. Such a shame he had to leave."

"Whatever game you're playing," Elijah said in his deadly calm voice, "I would advise you to think carefully."

"Game?" Damon asked, eyes wide. "No game here, though pool does sound rather good. Anyone want to join me?"

Meredith begged off and asked Elijah if he had a moment to talk about her "medical research." He agreed and Damon and Alaric retreated to the pool table. Alaric continued to watch the interaction at the bar as Damon set up the game.

They played, both much worse than usual given their split attention, but as soon as Meredith led Elijah out the door, they tossed their cues on the table and followed.

"I know it's risky," Meredith was saying, "but I try to keep their doses low and I keep them in the hospital until it's passed from their systems as often as I can."

"Responsible," Elijah said. "I can see the appeal of trying to save as many lives as possible."

"The hospital's only five minutes away this way," Meredith said as she pointed down a dark alley. "Normally, I wouldn't go that way after dark, but you're-"

"Scarier than anything you might find in the dark?" Elijah asked with a sardonic grin.

"Exactly."

Alaric started to hurry as the pair disappeared in the narrow corridor between buildings. Damon was faster, but even so, when Alaric arrived, Damon was just pulling a grey-skinned Elijah off of Meredith, trying not the jostle the dagger too much.

He couldn't believe that Damon's plan had actually worked. He glanced again at Meredith and wondered what other things she might be hiding.


	13. Daggered

**Disclaimer: As you know by now, I don't TVD. If I did, a great many things would be different. Any recognizable characters, plots and dialogue belong to L.J. Smith and the CW.**

 **A/N: By now, you know the drill. I love all of you, and adore every single comment. I'm overdue for going to bed, so I'm going to keep this short. Enjoy the new chapter! 3**

* * *

 **Caroline**

There was a knock on the door, and Caroline answered it while Kol continued walking Bonnie through the unlinking ritual. They were throwing around a lot of words that she couldn't follow, and Jeremy was looking back and forth between the two like he was watching a tennis match.

She opened the door and froze for a moment as she looked up into Klaus' face.

"Uh, hi," she said. "Were we expecting you? I don't remember ordering a pretentious psychopath."

"You wound me, Caroline," Klaus said. "But I'm here to talk to my brother, love."

"Let me guess," Kol said as he sauntered over, "one of your minions told you I was in here with your pretty blonde and you needed to check on the situation."

"Some yes, some no," Klaus said. "I got a call saying that you and the little witch were up to something. Now, Elijah says you're working on freeing us from Mother's machinations. Tell me, what's the plan?"

Kol opened his mouth to answer, but instead of words, the only sound was a muffled choking sound. He stumbled, and Caroline caught him.

"Kol!" Bonnie shouted as she ran into the room.

Klaus stumbled as well, but rather than desiccating as Kol was, he merely glowered down at the group around his brother. He reached out, but his hand stopped at the threshold barrier.

"What did you do?" he shouted at Bonnie. He pounded against the barrier before grasping at his chest. "Elijah…. I'll be back," he growled before flashing away.

Meanwhile, Bonnie and Jeremy supported Kol's limp form between them and settled him on the couch. Once done, Bonnie looked at Caroline.

"Who would have daggered them?" she asked.

"I think it's pretty obvious," Jeremy said. "Only one person I know who acts without all the information and without thought."

"Damon," Bonnie and Caroline said together.

There was a momentary pause before Caroline exclaimed, "Wait! If they're daggered, then Elena-"

"Dammit, Damon!" Bonnie said.

* * *

 **Rebekah**

For nearly an hour, silence had reigned in the tunnels. Rebekah had played solitaire rather than think about Elena and her words. When she turned to look, she noticed that the doppelgänger was slumped back against the wall. She looked barely conscious, and when she focused, Rebekah noticed that her heart rate was slower than it should have been.

She had taken a step toward the girl when she felt it - the familiar and unwelcome sensation of a dagger sliding into her heart. But this time, it wasn't happening directly to her. The realization had just crossed her mind when she refocused on Elena, who was now sitting upright and had her hands pressed against her chest. It was doing nothing to stop the crimson spreading across the front of her shirt.

Acting on instinct, Rebekah flashed to Elena's side, and with the last of her wavering strength, she forced a bleeding wrist to Elena's mouth. She collapsed backward, and the last thought flickering through her mind before the blackness took over was that she hoped she had done enough to protect them all from death.

* * *

 **Esther**

Finn was collecting the last of the supplies Esther needed in order to finish the ritual to turn her children just human enough to erase the entirety of their species. He was reaching for the torches when he grasped his chest instead. His eyes were wide as he looked up at her, his skin already taking on a grey tinge.

"Mother…"

She stepped closer to him but knew there was nothing she could do for him, and as she thought about it, she knew that she would have used one of Niklaus' charmed daggers herself if she had been able to find one. He had daggered his siblings for the slightest infractions over the centuries. Finn was completely desiccated now, and she waited to see if his body would combust, which would tell her that her task had been completed. However, he remained intact, and she knew that someone had protected Elena.

"Damn," she muttered. It appeared she needed to continue on with her plan.

She picked up the torches Finn had been reaching for. In the end, this was just as well. Her sons couldn't interfere in their current state, and the worry that Finn might yet change his mind could be put from hers. Whoever had acted should be thanked - they had saved her a great deal of worry hassle.

* * *

 **Elena**

Pain.

Elena lay on the ground, and all she could think was: _pain_. It had come out of nowhere. Looking down, she had seen dark blood rapidly spreading across her shirt and felt it running down her stomach. The lethargy she had felt before increased as she lost blood, but she had enough awareness to try putting pressure on the wound that wasn't her own.

It had done nothing to stem the flow.

She struggled to remember what happened next. The world had been spinning, but she remembered Rebekah flashing to her side. She hadn't had the presence of mind to pull away, even as a bloody wrist was thrust against her mouth.

Elena's eyes shot open as she remembered the tang of Rebekah's blood on her tongue. Doing so didn't help her disorientation. She found herself to be still lying on her back, but the sight above her was not the dark, damp stone ceiling. Instead, vibrant blues, greens, and purples swirled across a star-strewn sky. Inky black outlines of trees stretched toward the dancing lights. Elena watched the aurora twist for a moment before sitting up to try to gain her bearings.

Nearby, a bonfire burned. Beside it sat Elijah, who was staring intently into the depths of the flames. She could see Kol and Rebekah a short distance away on the far side of the fire. Finn and Klaus were nowhere to be seen though, so Elena clambered carefully to her feet. She hurried to Elijah, intent on apologizing for not telling him about his mother's plans. She also wanted to ask where he'd been.

As she approached, though, he looked up, and when he caught sight of her, he stood as well. He didn't move for a moment, and in the firelight, she saw a myriad of emotions cross his face. The most prominent was a relief that she knew was reflected on her own features.

She whispered his name, and saw his lips form her own before he flashed over to her. They were just at the edge of the fire's circle of light. His hand ghosted over her cheek, but never touched, even as his eyes scanned her for injury. She pulled herself back from hugging him like she would have if he were any of her other friends.

"Where did you-"

"Where have you-"

Both began to ask their questions at the same time, and the words crashed together in a jumble. A shy smile crossed Elena's face.

"Sorry," she said. "You were saying?"

"No," Elijah said, now watching her face intently. "You first, I insist. But, let us sit."

Elena followed him back to the log he had been sitting on. As soon as they were seated, she turned to him.

"Where did you disappear to last night? I looked for you. I need to tell you… Your mother is planning to kill all of you. Though, depending on where we are, maybe she succeeded."

Elijah looked around them, his eyes lingered on the lights in the sky for a moment before he turned back to Elena. "We're in a memory," he said. "Don't worry, I don't believe we're dead - not completely. This is where my siblings and I are always banished when we've been daggered." He paused and ghosted his hand over her arm again. She could remember the feel from when he had done it at the ball and found herself wishing he would touch her again. "My mother's plan, at least in part, has been revealed to us. I also have been searching for you. I worried, last night, that you had fled rather than tell me what had been discussed."

"I gave you my word," Elena said. She frowned at him. "I thought- Never mind. What have you found out?"

"Instead, tell me what she discussed with you. You are the primary source. We've been piecing things together."

"When we were told that whatever was in that coffin would kill Klaus, I had no idea she wanted to kill all of you. Elijah, she linked us all, but she took more of my blood than she said she would need. I don't know what more she did, but I felt like I was on fire and then freezing."

"I felt the same," Elijah said slowly. "I wonder if the others felt the same." He told her then that they believed if Esther succeeded in killing her children that it would mean the end of all vampires.

After she clarified that it included all of her friends, tears welled in her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. "How do we stop her?"

"Unless we are revived, there is nothing we can do from here," Elijah said. He gently took her hand in his, and she felt a warm wave of comfort sweep over her - like a quilt wrapping her in safety. The exhaustion that had been seeping deeper into her bones faded a little. The longer the contact was maintained, the more whole she felt.

Elijah stared down at their hands, and the tension that had sat on his shoulders slipped away.

"Mother is thorough," he muttered.

"What?" Elena asked.

"Nothing. I think I'm figuring out what she did with the rest of the blood she took." He looked over his shoulder at the dark forms Elena took to be Kol and Rebekah. "I need to talk to my brother. "But first, let us take advantage of this meeting to formulate a plan. Back in the real world, you're with Rebekah, yes?" Elena nodded. "We need her to return to Niklaus and I. By now, she will have seen what I meant about doubting Mother's intentions. Kol is still with your other friends. Mother has spelled them into your house."

"He hasn't hurt them, has he?" Elena asked. But even as she worried for their safety, she held tighter to Elijah's hand. His thumb was drawing circles on the back of her hand, and it was as though her focus was centered on that spot.

"He has not," Elijah said. "In fact, from what he said, he rather enjoys Bonnie and Jeremy's company." Elena frowned but didn't say anything, so Elijah continued. "I believe he's helping Bonnie to figure out how to unlink us. He's also, I'm certain, working on a plan for whatever Esther has done to keep you and I from communicating except in this place."

"I was worried you would think I had helped your mother willingly," Elena admitted in a voice he had to strain to hear.

"I disregarded the thought as soon as it passed through my mind," Elijah said. "That is not you, Elena. Do you remember our meeting at your parents' lake house?"

"Yes, of course," Elena said without looking up. She was still haunted by the actions that Damon had forced when he had acted rashly. In that moment, she was certain that he was behind the dagger this time to, and that meant he was responsible for the pain she had felt earlier.

"I saw, on your face, how much you hadn't wanted to act," Elijah said, squeezing her hand gently. "I believe, perhaps to my detriment that you wouldn't willingly act to hurt…" He trailed off, and Elena, at last, looked up to meet his eyes.

"You?" she asked. "You'd be right about that." The last was said in such a quiet voice she wasn't sure he would be able to make them out. In fact, she was hoping he wouldn't. He leaned forward and started to say something, but the world shifted. Her words lingered in the air even as the aurora-strewn sky faded away.

The pain was back, and Elena gasped as she sat up. She was back in the tunnel, and Rebekah was still sprawled on the ground next to her. Even if she had wanted to run, she didn't have the strength to get to her feet. Instead, she watched as Rebekah's skin regained its usual tone. She was taken back to watching Elijah reanimate in the Salvatores' basement.

As soon as Rebekah sat up, she turned to stare at Elena. "I am going to _kill_ whichever one of your boyfriends thought that was a clever idea," she growled.

"It'll have been Damon," Elena said, reluctantly, but she was mad at him herself. That had really hurt, and she could have _died_. "You're going to have to get in line behind at least two of your brothers." Elena caught the astonished look on Rebekah's face. She shrugged. "I could stand to hurt him myself. I'm sorrier than ever that I did that to you. It freakin' _hurt_." She hesitated before saying, "Thanks for saving me, by the way."

"Save your empty apologies," Rebekah snapped. She hauled herself to her feet and started down the tunnel. Elena hurried after her. "And I didn't do it to save you. I did it for my family."

"I know, but thanks anyway."

They walked in silence. When they reached the stairs that led back to the open air, Rebekah turned back to her.

"I still hate you," she said.

"Of course. Right back at you. Elijah wants you to meet him and Klaus."

Rebekah nodded and flashed away, leaving a bewildered Elena behind her. Having no idea what else she could do, Elena started back toward her house to see how the others were coming on formulating a plan.


	14. Out of the Frying Pan

**Disclaimer: As you know by now, I don't TVD. If I did, a great many things would be different. Any recognizable characters, plots, and dialogue belong to L.J. Smith and the CW.**

 **A/N: As always, all my love to you faithful readers and reviewers! It's been especially helpful while I've been struggling with this chapter. I know I've missed a couple update days. This chapter's been giving me trouble with every line. I think I've rewritten it four times now, and I just can't look at it any longer.**

 **We're coming up on the final drama, which I'm trying to make sure I get just right! I figure this story will be no longer than 20 chapters when all is said and done.**

 **One last note: As I'm sure some of you have seen, the first chapter of _Doppelganger Kerfuffle_ has been posted. If you haven't already, please go take a look at it. It's going to be one heck of a twisty adventure. Time travel and body swaps. Originals and doppelgangers. Magic and chaos.**

 **Okay, I think I've gone on long enough, and it's long past time to give you the newest chapter of _Cursed_. Please, enjoy!**

* * *

 **Elena**

Rebekah flashed away to join Elijah and Klaus, after Elena had passed along Elijah's message from the dream world, or alternate reality, or whatever that place had been. Elena watched her go and wished she could go with her, but there were too many other things to attend to. The fight with Esther was coming to a head tonight, with the full moon. Her best option was to check in on Bonnie and Kol, assuming that they hadn't killed each other yet.

Finn had driven them most of the way out, but going back she didn't have that option. Elena silently thanked Alaric for her training and jogged in the direction of home, hoping that she would be able to help them take down Esther somehow.

She had just turned onto her street when she saw Esther striding up the walk to her house. Elena quickly ducked behind the corner of a nearby house, and as she peeked out, she saw Esther return with Bonnie following behind her robotically. It reminded her of how she had been taken from the house hours earlier.

As she passed the front door of her house, already in pursuit, Elena saw Jeremy and Kol pressed against the threshold, with Caroline right behind them. Elena hesitated for a moment, wanting to laugh at the fact that, after she had been trapped by them in the past, they were now held captive in the same way. It wasn't really funny, she knew that, but with everything falling apart as usual, she had to find the humor where she could.

However, when they saw her pause, all three waved her on after them, and moments later, her phone buzzed with an incoming text from Jeremy.

 _ **Elena! You're out! Did you escape when Rebekah was out?**_

 _She let me go. She's on our side. For now. What happened with Bonnie?_

 _ **Dunno. She just came to the door, a couple words, and Bonnie followed her out.**_

 _ **Gonna teach Kol to txt real quick, then he'll fill you in.**_

While she waited for more information, Elena carefully tailed Esther and Bonnie. She quickly realized they were headed back into the woods, but away from the tunnels this time. She had her suspicions of where they were headed, but she couldn't be sure. She checked that she was just far enough back to keep the witches in her eyeline as her phone buzzed with more incoming texts.

 _ **Believe Esther used Bennett bloodline to spell Bonnie.**_

 _ **Using it to control youngest descendant.**_

 _ **Theory is that she plans to use Bonnie & her mum to complete the ritual.**_

 _ **Bonnie has a different plan.**_

 _If Esther's controlling her, how can she have a plan?_

 _ **She talked to ancestors.**_

 _ **They don't want to help Esther.**_

 _ **Hiding allegiance for now?**_

 _Do you have anything that isn't just theory?_

 _ **Nope. You?**_

Elena sighed. She didn't, and it was still more than they had formed some of their plans on.

 _No._

 _ **Figured. Let us know where you wind up.**_

 _ **Will let others now, and send reinforcements.**_

 _Will do. Kol?_

 _ **Yes?**_

 _Thanks. For your help. Glad you're on our side._

 _ **Anything to save my life.**_

 _ **Not to mention my brother's soulmate.**_

 _SOULMATE?!_

 _Wait. WHAT?!_

She waited a long couple of minutes, but there was no further response. Grumbling, she typed another message quickly.

 _KOL?!_

 _Kol Mikaelson, you tell me more right this minute. What do you mean "soulmate"?_

She stopped to stare down at her phone, but the bubble to indicate a response never came. She growled at the phone.

"How dare you drop something like that and then stop responding?" Elena muttered. Before she could look up again, Esther's voice made Elena's blood run cold.

"Keep up now, Elena. You've already come so far with us. You may as well finish the journey." Elena glanced up to see that Esther was looking over her shoulder at her. When Elena didn't move, Esther added, "I think you'll find that Miss Bennett's life begs that you do so."

Elena couldn't fathom what Esther could do to Bonnie without sacrificing her grander plan. On the other hand, if the threat was real, she couldn't allow anything to happen to Bonnie if she could prevent it. So, she obediently followed as Esther set off again.

Moments later, they crossed the treeline, and Elena realized their destination. It was one on a growing list of places in this town that she never wanted to see again. As Esther continued forward, Elena fired off one last quick text to Jeremy's phone, _Old witch house._ She knew that Jeremy would be able to explain the meaning to Kol if necessary.

She took slow steps toward the house, remembering with each one the last time she had been here. How she had awoken from Klaus' bite to find that John, her last surviving parental figure had given his life for hers. Though she hadn't much cared for him, the loss of him had stung. Now, this building was another reminder of everything she had already lost. But it also reminded her of everything she still had to defend and protect.

Esther stopped not far away, and Elena hurried to Bonnie's side. She took her friend's hand, and when their eyes met, she could see the panic behind Bonnie's calm facade. She wished there was more she could do to offer comfort, but in this moment, she feared Esther more than she had Rebekah. The witch was an unknown and completely convinced that what she was doing was right, which was all the more dangerous.

"How did you-"

"Know you followed us?" Esther asked, arching a brow at Elena. "It was easy for a witch as in tune with nature as I am. Surely, Bonnie has taught you some of our tricks. Or, perhaps she is still too green herself to know that trick." She paused, looking Bonnie over. "Her power is immense, but her knowledge is still lacking. Interesting."

Elena glared at the witch, but the fact that Bonnie wasn't speaking up worried her. Perhaps the ancestors' control was more complete than she had thought. She hoped Kol was right that they did want to help Bonnie fight Esther, because if that was wrong, they were in a lot of trouble.

"Since Rebekah, like the rest of my children, was apparently incapacitated by those nefarious daggers, I see you've escaped. No matter. You will remain with us for now, and I will keep you safe."

"Until the right moment," Elena fired back.

"Well, yes. Killing you prematurely would only complicate matters, possibly leaving my children in a desiccated state rather than-"

"Dead," Elena said. "You want your children dead. I won't be your sacrifice so that you can do that."

"We don't always get what we want, Elena," Esther said. "I don't _want_ to kill my children, as you so crassly put it. But you and Miss Bennett need to see that it's for the greater good. Both of you are acting like petulant children who cannot see the whole of the world in front of you. If I must, I will find a way to control you as I did for her. It would be much easier of you would help of your own free will. Can't you see that you're fighting on the behalf of monsters?"

"Each side sees the other as monstrous," Elena said. "I'm choosing the side not committing genocide."

Esther sighed. "I should have known better than to believe you would listen to reason. Fine. But it's time to go. There is much yet to prepare. Come along, girls."

Esther continued on toward the witch house, and Bonnie followed her as if compelled. Elena didn't immediately follow, and when Bonnie was fifteen feet away, she dropped to her knees. She gasped for breath as her hands went to her throat, trying to remove the invisible force pressing down on her windpipe.

"Now, Elena," Esther said without looking back or pausing her steps. "I don't have time for your bleeding heart."

When Elena took a couple steps forward, Bonnie's shoulders slumped forward as she gasped in a single deep breath. Elena hurried to Bonnie's side, and as she crouched down beside her, Bonnie was breathing normally. Before Elena could do anything more than rest her hand on her friend's shoulder, Bonnie stood and robotically moved to follow Esther.

Elena didn't want to repeat the experience, so she followed the pair toward the house.

Esther stopped at the bottom of the steps, looking up at the pair of figures who waited for them on the porch. Finn and Abby stood side by side, with Abby casting sidelong looks at Finn while he stared down at his mother.

"Finn," Esther said, offering an insincere smile up at her eldest son. "And Abby. I'm glad you both could join us."

Finn spoke before Abby could open her mouth. "Are you, Mother?" he asked. "I awoke from my short time under the effects of the dagger to find you had simply left me facedown on the floor of the attic. Even Niklaus had the decency to move us when he acted thusly. But not you. How long did you remain after I collapsed? Just long enough to know whether you had to move forward, I'd wager."

Esther frowned, looking up at her son. Elena hadn't been expecting the outburst from Finn. He had seemed so accepting of his fate at the ball, and now, he was upset that his mother had left him behind. What did he think was going to happen when she killed him? It was so much more permanent than being left in the attic. Before Elena could think any more on it, other than wondering if this was an opening to try and persuade Finn to their side, Esther was already speaking.

"I couldn't waver," Esther said. "Once I realized that you were only in the neutralized state, I knew I needed to continue on with the plan as best I could. My son, of course, I wanted you by my side for every step, but your body is indestructible in that state, and if Elena was not yet dead, then I needed her for the next steps."

Bonnie and Abby's eyes both widened at that. Elena knew by now that Bonnie wouldn't be able to speak, but she wasn't sure what Abby would have to say on the matter of the daughter of her friend being killed. Elena also wondered where Esther got off on saying she had collected Elena. Unless… But she hadn't known that her children were reawakened, which meant she couldn't have known Elena would come. There was still more to this plot that she didn't understand.

Esther had already turned her attention away from Finn though, focusing now on Abby.

"Sister," she said, "I'm glad you could join us. As you can see, I've brought your wayward daughter back to us. Perhaps you will have more luck than I in convincing her and Elena to see sense."

"All I've ever wanted was to protect her from the threat of vampires," Abby said.

Elena saw Bonnie raise a skeptical eyebrow, but the spell was still holding her tongue. Elena, herself, wasn't sure what to make of Abby. She ran so hot and cold, and Elena didn't know where she really came down on this issue, but they couldn't talk now - not in front of Esther.

"Wonderful," Esther said. "If you would, then, escort them inside and try to talk them around to seeing the greater good in what we do. Finn and I will remain out here to set up the rest of the ritual. I assume you have questions, and I will answer them, but we are running behind now. I'm sure you understand."

Abby nodded absently, but she never took her eyes off Bonnie. After Esther finished speaking, Bonnie started to walk up the stairs, and Elena followed as quickly as she could. Both of them brushed past Abby's outstretched hands, and she followed them into the house.

Bonnie led Elena to the basement, but Abby was stopped by an invisible barrier at the top of the stairs. As soon as they were out of earshot, Bonnie whirled on Elena, free now from whatever control Esther had been exerting through the Bennett magic.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, incredulous. "You should be as far away from Esther as possible, Elena!"

"Was I supposed to let her kill you?" Elena asked.

"It would have broken her connection to the magic," Bonnie said. "You'd be safe and all of her spells would be null."

"How many times do I have to tell you that I won't let you die for me?"

"But if you die, that's fine?" Bonnie fired back.

"I'm not planning to die this time," Elena said. "It would take too many people with me - Elijah, Caroline, Stefan and Damon, and the other Originals. Not to mention countless strangers. Does that seem like something I would do?"

Bonnie's shoulders fell a little. "No, of course not, but you still shouldn't be here."

"Maybe, but I am, and I don't think they're just going to let me leave. So, you better fill me in on the plan and tell me what I can do to help."

Bonnie took a deep breath. "You're right. It's not much of a plan, but when is it ever?"

"Kol didn't provide details when we were texting as I followed you, but he mentioned you talked to your ancestors… Oh, and something about me being one of his brothers' soulmates. You don't know anything about that, do you?"

Bonnie winced. "Can we cover that later?"

"We absolutely cannot, Bonnie Bennett. You tell me what you know. Now."


	15. Confrontation

**Disclaimer: As you know by now, I don't TVD. If I did, a great many things would be different. Any recognizable characters, plots, and dialogue belong to L.J. Smith and the CW.**

 **A/N: I can't put into words how much I continue to appreciate your reviews on this story. They keep me going when I am stymied and wondering if it's worth continuing. Even just a word to say that it was a good chapter put a smile on my face, so thank you. I had a lot of fun writing this chapter. A bit more action and violence than there has been. Things are coming to a head, and I think we're heading into our last five or so chapters. Thanks for sticking with me on this adventure of what was supposed to only be a one or two chapter story.**

 **Anyway, here we go! (And while you're reading this, I'm off to work on the next chapter!)**

* * *

 **Klaus**

Klaus left the Gilbert house in a hurry with the image of Kol desiccating burned into his vision. Sure, he had daggered his siblings more than he could count, but that had been to protect them. Sometimes from themselves, sometimes from the world around them, and sometimes just to protect them from his temper until he could calm down. Always and forever, after all.

Klaus raced back to the Grill to do what he could to set it right. He was unsurprised to find that Elijah, Damon, and Alaric were inside the restaurant. Even in towns as peculiar as this one, people being stabbed and mummifying might cause a scene. He used his heightened senses to follow Elijah's pretentious, preferred cologne of sandalwood and cypress, as well as the sounds of a whispered argument, in to the alley beside the restaurant.

He stopped before entering. As much as he wanted to race down it and exact his revenge immediately, he knew he might learn something more if he just waited and listened for a moment.

"That was… I didn't know what to expect…" The voice was feminine, but it wasn't any of the girls usually involved in plots against his family. He would need to take closer stock of who was now teaming up with their little band of malfeasants.

"You did well, doc," Damon said, and Klaus audibly growled. He had suspected Damon, of course, but when would that impetuous vampire learn to not mess with things greater than him?

He knew Damon cared for Elena, as much as anyone with a heart of stone could. That must mean he didn't know about the extent of the link. Oh, it would be so much fun to see the look on his face when he learned about that.

"Then, why do I feel think I just did something so- I feel-"

"Used?" That was Alaric. "Yeah, you'll feel that a lot around Damon. He doesn't much think before he forms his plans. I shouldn't have involved you in this."

"I said I wanted to help," the woman said. "But Elijah was being so kind, and I lured him down here. It's…"

"It was perfect," Damon said. "I had no idea you were so underhanded."

"You think I'm a serial killer but not underhanded?"

"Oh, come on, that's just our little joke, doc," Damon said. "You're the least serial killer-y person in town. There's way worse-"

"Like me," Klaus said as he suddenly appeared behind Damon before slamming him face-first into the brick wall. The sickening crunch of a nose breaking was music to his ears. He reached down and wrenched the dagger from Elijah's chest before turning back to the trio of conspirators in the alley.

"Now, since Damon here was behind your plan, completely unsurprisingly, you have all of ten seconds to get out of my sight before you all die very painful deaths. Ten...nine...eight-"

Alaric's eyes shifted back and forth between Damon and the woman, but when they paused on the amber glow in Klaus' eyes, his expression turned resolute. Klaus wondered if he thought Damon would be able to talk himself out of this, but Alaric likely knew his woman had less chance of survival because he took her hand and the pair sprinted off. At the entrance to the alley, he turned back once to look at Damon with a tinge of regret in his eyes, but he still disappeared, leaving Damon in the hands of a particularly aggravated Klaus and a rapidly reviving Elijah.

Damon watched them go before he stood back up and turned a defiant stare on Klaus, who was more than used to seeing that expression, but he also had experience with breaking down that look. Damon wiped the blood from his face and already-healed nose as Klaus spoke again.

"You have been a thorn in my side for months now," he said. "I should have killed you the first time I had the chance, but don't worry, I shall rectify that mistake now."

Damon tossed his shoulders back and glared at Klaus. "Go ahead," he said, a self-satisfied smirk creeping onto his face. "It won't make your own mother hate you any less. You know she's planning to kill you, don't you? You and all of your miserable siblings."

"I wouldn't recommend talking about my mother," Klaus said as he stalked over to Damon until they were nose to nose.

"Oh, sore subject? How _does_ it feel to get your mummy back only to learn that she wants you dead?"

Klaus gnashed his elongated teeth, his eyes glowing with the full force of his anger, and swung at Damon, who tried to evade, but still caught a glancing blow, knocking him back into the wall. The bricks shifted slightly, and a cloud of dust rose, but Damon was already back on his feet and facing Klaus.

"Definitely touched a nerve," he said. His infuriating smirk was back in place, and Klaus flashed to him. He thrust his hand out faster than Damon could move and grasped Damon's beating heart in his hand. He gave it a squeeze before he started to pull back as slowly as he could manage, savoring each wince and groan from Damon.

"You did always like to draw things out," Elijah said as he stood and dusted himself off. He twisted his neck, reawakening stiff muscles before approaching Damon and Klaus. "I have always preferred the quick dispatch of a beating heart, but I don't have your fondness for their suffering."

"Come now, 'Lijah," Klaus said. "There have been a fair few occasions you stood shoulder-to-shoulder with me as we made others suffer for daring to act against us."

Elijah hummed as he watched Klaus continue to torture Damon with the slow removal of his heart. "You're not wrong. But, before you completely end Mister Salvatore, are you sure he's suffered as much as he can?"

"I haven't told him the full effects of his actions, no. Perhaps you would like the honor?"

Damon, who had not said anything - not for lack of trying - while suffering at Klaus' hand, managed to gasp out, "Don't care what you-"

"Ah, but I think you will," Elijah said. "See, my mother didn't just link all of her children. There was a sixth person linked with us, and I think you'll care very much that she felt the effects of your endless crusade against us."

Damon paled, and Klaus removed his hand from Damon's chest cavity none too gently before grasping the younger vampire by the throat to keep him from running off.

"Someone who more often than not finds herself in the middle of things," Klaus said. "Who has an uncanny ability to actually care for people she shouldn't. Ringing any bells yet?"

"You're just saying this to throw me off," Damon said, trying to pull out of Klaus's grasp, but wincing when the grip on his throat stayed firm. "There's no way-"

"I could show you," Rebekah said, suddenly appearing on Klaus' other side from out of nowhere. "I was there with her when it happened, and she very nearly bled out before I could get to her. You're lucky saving her life was the only way to save mine, or your precious Elena would be dead right now."

"No," Damon gasped.

"Oh, yes," Klaus said. "My mother doesn't only hate us. I think she intends to eradicate all vampires and take the last doppelgänger with us so that no one can recreate her mistake. In trying to rid yourself of us, you could have ended it all for her."

"I don't- I don't believe you," Damon said.

Rebekah moved behind him and pressed her fingers to his temples, forcing him to watch her memory. With Klaus' hand still wrapped around Damon's neck, he was taken along.

He watched as his sister stumbled and looked at her greying hand. He watched as she looked across the cavern at Elena's collapsed form. He savored the dismayed shout from Damon, watching the spread of crimson across Elena's shirt, rapid and terrifying - if you cared about the girl. The Rebekah of the memory stumbled over to the doppelgänger and bit into her own wrist, thrusting it against Elena's mouth before also collapsing.

As they reemerged from Rebekah's memory, Damon gasped and shook.

"What have I done?" he asked. "I never meant to-"

"She's alive," Rebekah groused. "The perfect Elena is fine. I don't understand why everyone's always so worried about her. She's hardly anything special."

Damon, frowning, and Klaus, with eyebrow raised, both turned to look at her, but Elijah didn't even react.

"Have you finally seen sense, Elijah?" Rebekah asked.

"In regard to what?" Elijah asked, now turning to look at her.

"Elena," she said. "These two both seem to care what happens to her, though for vastly different reasons I'm sure, but you act as though you couldn't care less."

Elijah didn't respond, which made her arch her brow.

"Kol and I believe Mother cast another spell," he told her. "And we're finding the effects, like Elijah's sudden inability to hear questions, rather irksome to work around."

"You can imagine how frustrating it would be to be the subject of said spell," Elijah said. " _Separatum animarum_ is a most irritating thing, which is, I suppose, why its use is so frowned upon."

"What's that?" Damon asked, unwisely returning the attention of three tense Originals on himself. "Please tell me it's painful."

A smirk Klaus thought would look more at home on his own face spread across Elijah's as he turned to face Damon. "It can be," he said, "but thus far it has only served its initial purpose of keeping Elena and I from talking."

"Finally, something is keeping her from you. I never understood why she thought talking to you was a good idea."

Klaus grew bored with holding onto Damon. He figured that the information Elijah was imparting would be enough to shock Damon into not moving. And if not, he knew that between him and his two siblings, the Salvatore wasn't going anywhere. He wiped Damon's blood off his hand and onto Damon's shirt, leaning back to let his brother savor this reveal of information.

"But that is only the first, most basic part," Elijah continued, prowling closer to Damon. "You see, the curse can only be cast on a certain type of person - well, pair of individuals. I think you'll find this interesting, if a little unsettling. _Separatum animarum_ , a spell I've studied in the past but chosen not to have cast because of its cruelty, can only be cast on soulmates - particularly unrecognized soulmates. Of course, it works best when they don't already know each other and thus won't realize something is missing, but I digress."

"That's crap," Damon spat. "There's no way you and Elena are soulmates!"

"It doesn't matter whether you believe it or not," Klaus said. "It's an old spell, and it will turn painful, could probably kill Elena if left in place for too long. But hey, if you don't believe in it, it will likely go away, right?"

Elijah, however, scowled down at Damon. "I think you'll find that it doesn't matter in the least what you believe. Now, are you done serving your own selfish wants, or would you like to protect the interests we all share?"

"I don't share anything with you, asshole," Damon spat.

Elijah reached out, quick as lightning and snapped Damon's neck, watching with detachment as his body fell to the ground.

"Very well," he said, gazing down at the body.

"Are you just going to leave him like that?" Klaus asked. "I was hoping that we could finally kill him."

Just then, three cell phones chimed. Klaus and Elijah both pulled theirs out to look at the messages, and the third chime came from Damon's pocket. Rebekah reached in and looked at his phone before looking up at her brothers.

"What has Kol been up to today?" she asked.

Klaus read his messages again.

 _Bennett witch and doppelgänger taken by Mother. Need to distract - not kill - Mother in order to fix what's been done._

 _Apparently, girls have a "plan."_

 _They're at an old witch house. I'm told Elijah is familiar._

"It appears killing Damon will have to wait," Elijah said. "Though, I will happily assist you once this is over, Niklaus. Something slow, I think." Rebekah rolled her eyes as matching grins spread across their faces. "However, for now, who would like to visit the site of a witch massacre?"

Before they left the alley, the brothers carelessly tossed Damon into a nearby pile of trash bags. Klaus laughed as they did so, and a grim smirk adorned Elijah's face. Rebekah merely followed them once they'd had their moment of petty enjoyment.


	16. Coming?

**Disclaimer: As you know by now, I don't TVD. If I did, a great many things would be different. Any recognizable characters, plots, and dialogue belong to L.J. Smith and the CW.**

 **A/N: Thank you for your patience in waiting for my updates. And as always, thank you for your kind reviews. They continue to mean the world to me. This chapter is kind of filler-y, but there is much drama to come! I finally worked out how exactly I am going to end this, so that's pretty darn exciting!**

* * *

 **Stefan**

A text from Alaric was the only clue Stefan had to finding Damon after he found that the dagger and ash were missing. He read the words Mystic Grill and Klaus and was in his car in a flash.

When he pulled up in front of the restaurant, he paid no mind to where he was parking, only hoping that he would find Damon still alive. He wanted to be able to smack him himself for the risk he took with Elena's life. Stefan ran down the alley, and found Damon tossed into a pile of trash bags. However, he took comfort in the fact that there wasn't much blood in the alley. If Klaus had been in one of his truly sadistic moods, things could have been worse.

Stefan moved Damon to the ground in the alley and waited for him to wake up, trying not to notice too keenly the hole in Damon's shirt. Said hole had blood drying on the edges, but the skin beneath was whole and not desiccated, so Stefan knew Damon would be okay.

He waited only a few minutes before Damon sat bolt upright gasping for breath.

"That asshole broke my neck!" he exclaimed. Damon massaged his neck as he glanced around for his attacker. When he realized Stefan was the only one there, he focused on him.

"You're lucky that's all he did," Stefan said. "When I was traveling with Klaus-"

"Klaus?" Damon asked. "Who said anything about Klaus? Elijah's the one who broke my neck. Snapped it like a twig."

"Elijah?" Stefan asked. He cocked his head to the side, contemplating that information. While he knew it was true that the two didn't get along, usually Elijah reserved his demonstrations of violence for situations where he felt Damon needed to be taken down a peg or two.

"Yeah. Got all pissed - not at the fact that I got Meredith to dagger him-"

"You did what?" Stefan exclaimed. "Don't you remember that he said Elena was linked with them?"

"Well, he coulda been lying about that. You know, try to keep us in line."

"Uh-huh, so Elijah was pissed that you hurt Elena?"

"Yeah, but there's more. And don't worry, apparently, she's fine. Rebekah, of all people, saved her."

"Since there aren't any dead Originals here, yeah, I figured that she was fine. What more could there possibly be?"

"Do you want the bad but funny news first or the just awful news?" Damon asked as he clambered to his feet.

"Just tell me," Stefan said. "I don't feel like playing any more of your games tonight. We need to go see what we can do to keep everyone alive."

"Yeah, that's a funny thing, but I've decided I no longer care about that."

"Not even about Elena?" Stefan asked, raising an eyebrow. "That's quite a change."

Damon scowled. "It turns out we were right to decide neither of us gets her. We've got even less of a shot than we thought. Their diabolical mother cursed Elena and Elijah, but apparently that curse can only be cast on soulmates, which he seemed to derive particular pleasure from telling me."

"Soul- Elena and Elijah are-?" Stefan couldn't put together a whole sentence. What Damon was saying made absolutely no sense. But at the same time… "Wait, what?"

"I felt that way, too," Damon said. "Barbie Klaus was pretty shocked too, but the Original Hybrid took it all in stride, smirking while his brother shared this information with me."

"Are you sure?" Stefan asked.

"What, now you want to start doubting Elijah?" Damon said. "Nah. I've decided I've had enough. No more saving a girl who thinks my caring is a liability. Her life is his problem now. I say we leave the Originals to their family drama and get the hell out of dodge. Whaddya say, Stef, you coming?"

"I can't just leave her or the rest of them," Stefan said.

Damon shrugged. "Suit yourself. Look me up if you ever figure out that our lives are better without a doppelgänger in them."

Then, without a glance back, Damon took off. Stefan watched him go and wondered if he should have gone too…

* * *

 **Kol**

They had been powerless to stop Esther from taking Bonnie, and the only bright spot for Kol's companions had been seeing Elena sneak off after the pair of witches. Kol had to admit - only to himself and never out loud - that he was glad to see her too. He was becoming more and more certain that she was a perfect match for his brother, which is why he had derived so much pleasure from dropping that truth into her lap.

"Elena says they're at an old witch house," Kol said. "Which is super non-specific."

"I know where they are," Jeremy said, "and Elijah will too. Esther's probably gone there to draw even more power." He quickly told Kol about the massacre that happened there and how Bonnie had used that power in the past.

"Alright," Kol said. "Well, since we can't go, I need to call in the cavalry. Any chance you have any of my siblings' numbers in your phone, mate?"

"I've got Elijah's," Jeremy said. When Caroline gave him a questioning look, he explained, "Elena made me enter it way back when they had their deal to protect all of us. Didn't she make you save it too?"

"Elena doesn't make me do things," Caroline said. Jeremy raised a brow, and she conceded, "Often."

"Well, if his is the only one we have, I'll just tell him to collect the others," Kol said. "Maybe we'll luck out and they're all together by now anyway."

He started to compose the text when there was a long sigh from the chair where Caroline had collapsed after she finished pacing following Bonnie's kidnapping.

Two sets of eyes rose to look at her, and Caroline said in a rush, "I have Klaus' number. You know, just in case they're not together. Two knowing is better than one."

"I'm sorry," Jeremy said. "Did you say you had Klaus' number? Why?"

While Jeremy looked incredulous, Kol was trying to hide his knowing smirk. It would appear that Klaus was not nurturing a completely unrequited affection for the blonde. Kol would file that information away for later use.

"It's just- He texted me first!" Caroline defended. "Sometimes he text me poems, and they're not awf- Anyway, does it matter why I have it?" She glared at Jeremy before turning back to Kol, who was no longer hiding his grin.

Nik texting poetry to a girl who seemingly wouldn't give him the time of day was providing one of the best mental images Kol had ever had. There was no way he was letting his brother live this down, but the threat that if he died he wouldn't get the chance made Kol focus on the matter at hand.

"Are there any of your other friends we should inform?" Kol asked as he put the finishing touches on the messages he wanted to send.

"Damon and Stefan," Caroline said.

"Maybe not Damon if he's the one who planned the dagger stunt," Jeremy pointed out. "If they haven't already killed him for it."

"He should still know," Caroline said. "You know I hate him, but he would do anything to save Elena. He should be there."

"The Salvatore wonder duo is on the list," Kol said.

"Alaric," Jeremy said. "He'd want to help. And Matt."

"We're leaving Matt out of this," Caroline said forcefully. "He won't let us heal what you've already done to him." She glowered at Kol as she spoke, and he shrugged. "He doesn't need to be anywhere near this fight when it goes down."

"He won't like being left out," Jeremy pointed out. "But, you're probably right." He seemed uncertain, but Kol agreed that someone who was rejecting healing for a simple broken hand had no place between a thousand-year old witch, her pissed off children, and their bloodline descendants.

"Okay, so two Salvatores and a frequently drunk vampire hunter slash history teacher?" Kol asked. "Well, at least my siblings will be there too. So, Caroline, darling, Klaus' number, if you please."

Caroline recited it from memory, which earned her another smirk from Kol and a suspicious look from Jeremy.

Not long after Kol's message went out, he got one from Elena that made him chuckle.

"Looks like we won't be left out after all," he said. "Bonnie's going to try to get us out."

The three moved to the doorway, and Caroline stood with her hand pressed against the barrier as Kol waited for a confirmation from Elena.

"You should stay here, Jer," Caroline said. "That's what Elena would want."

"No way," he said. "I'm not staying out of it when her life is on the line like this."

"You could be killed, mate" Kol said.

In response, Jeremy held up a hand bearing a garish ring set with a large dark blue stone and a silver crest. "That's harder to do than you might think," he said. "Supernatural deaths don't mean much to a Gilbert."

Kol looked carefully at his new friend. He wanted to believe what he was hearing, but he was skeptical. Then, he wondered how he had come to care about this boy so quickly. Twelve hours ago, he probably would have killed him just for the thrill of it, and while he didn't feel the same compunction as Caroline to make Jeremy stay, he didn't want Jeremy to get hurt.

"Compromise," he said. "You come, but Caroline takes you to your sister and Bonnie while my siblings and I do what we can to distract Esther."

"Deal," Jeremy said.

"It's down," Caroline said as the phone in Kol's hand chirped. He nodded and typed out a quick reply. She turned to Jeremy. "You wanna piggyback or should I carry you?" she asked with a cheeky grin on her face.

Jeremy rolled his eyes. "You're getting too much enjoyment out of this," he said, but when she offered his back, he climbed up. "This is weird," he muttered.

"Probably not the strangest thing to happen today though," Caroline said. "No, definitely not. Think you can keep up, Kol?"

"Darling, if I didn't need directions, I would run circles around you," Kol said, laughing. He quickly sobered. "Let's go stop my mother."

He followed Caroline over the threshold, savoring the breeze on his face for a moment. Then, Caroline faded away in a blur, and he took off after her and Jeremy's exhilarated shouts.

* * *

 **A/N 2: I know my updates are starting to drop off a little, and I am sorry about that. Life gets crazy when summer sets it. But, I want to assure you that neither this story or Doppelganger Kerfuffle are being abandoned. Every moment I have that isn't claimed by something else, I am writing away. I will probably disappear in July for Camp NaNoWriMo, but I'm going to be using it to write Doppelganger Kerfuffle, so that's a win really.**

 **Thank you again for bearing with me. 3**


	17. More Magic & Martyrs

**Disclaimer: As you know by now, I don't TVD. If I did, a great many things would be different. Any recognizable characters, plots, and dialogue belong to L.J. Smith and the CW.**

 **A/N: This one got away from me a little bit. Abby's POV was only supposed to last for a scene, but she wouldn't let me go. My current estimate is two more chapters (but if any more characters take over, that may change). Thank you, as always, for your love and for your enjoyment of this story. Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Abby**

Bonnie and Elena had brushed right past Abby in their haste to get away from Esther. She followed them in, two steps behind. They hurried down a staircase, but when she tried to go that way, she found it impossible. She pressed against the invisible blockade for a moment, but when she was unsuccessful, she returned to the front room.

There was something unnatural in the air there, but it wasn't unwelcoming. Though the sun had gone down over the hills outside, mid-afternoon sun filtered through the room's high windows. It illuminated the dancing of dust motes. A stale herbaceous aroma lingered in the air. It reminded her of her childhood and the herbs her mother always had drying and in jars, both for cooking and for spellwork.

As she watched the specks sway in the light, she heard a faint whispering. It was coming from all around her, and as she turned to find the source, it became a multitude of voices speaking together. There was no one else in the room, and certainly not the crowd she could hear. That was when she figured out that they were speaking directly into her mind.

A hundred voices spoke as one. "Welcome, sister. Your aid to the Original witch is appreciated. Though, with a block between your spirit and your magic, your help is not all it could be. We could help you remove that block, as well as the one keeping you from your daughter." Abby felt herself drifting from reality as the spirits spoke to her. "In order to help you, though, we need you to sway your daughter. She acts against Esther, drawing power away from the good work the Original witch must do. Bring her back to the right path, and we will help."

Abby fought against the weight of a hundred wills being imposed on her own. She remembered hearing Esther say, while they were on the porch, that Elena had to die as well. That thought brought forth a long-forgotten memory that, when she pursued it, pushed the voices from her mind.

Her Bonnie had been two. Elena as well. Miranda and Grayson were hosting a Labor Day party that year. It had been a beautiful, blue sky day, but the sort of chaos that only comes from a party overrun by toddlers had reigned over the day. In the middle of the adults trying to have a barbecue and the children playing party games, Elena and Bonnie tottered off without anyone noticing. When they did, Abby and Miranda tore the back garden apart looking for the girls.

At long last, they found the two hidden amongst some late-blooming flowers. Bonnie was waving her little hands, and the plants around them followed the movement. A jubilant Elena squealed her enjoyment, clapping along to the dancing flowers. Bonnie looked up when Abby shouted her name, relieved to find that nothing had befallen her little girl, and the zinnias stilled. A cascade of flower petals fell over Elena in the sudden stillness, and she picked them up.

Miranda and Abby each scooped up their little escape artists, but as they did so, Elena tossed a handful of pink, red, and yellow petals at her friend. The women stopped when Bonnie waved her hands fists again, and the petals swirled around them like a colorful snowglobe. Abby's jaw had gone slack at the power and control her baby was showing, and Miranda looked between the wondrous sight and the little girl, but Abby saw the tinge of concern in her friend's eyes.

She knew that she would be out of her depths in training someone as powerful as her daughter would be. So, when Miranda approached her a few weeks later and asked her to protect Elena from Mikael, Abby had gone, and she hadn't looked back, believing with all her heart that Bonnie was best left in her mother's more than capable hands.

Slowly, she surfaced from the memory, and as she remembered the innocent, carefree faces of the girls, she was confronted with who they had become in her absence. They were stronger now, and resilient. The world seemed to rest on their shoulders, but between the two of them, she knew they could bear it.

Bonnie watched her like she was a difficult puzzle with unknown dangers. Elena, however, only had her head tipped to the side, showing a wary curiosity. Abby was no closer to knowing how to talk to them, so she asked the first question that came to mind.

"Can you hear them?" she asked, looking from one girl to the other before settling her gaze on Bonnie. "The vibe in this house is intense."

Bonnie crossed her arms as she scowled at the room in general. Since her appearance, the light had shifted ominously, taking on a more crimson hue. Almost as though the light was catching up with the day outside, but it lacked the comfort of a setting sun.

"Not today," Bonnie admitted. "In the past, the spirits of the witches had plenty to tell me, but I don't think they're happy with me at the moment. I didn't think they'd speak to you, with your, uh, supposed lack of magic."

"They say they can restore my connection," Abby said. "But that you have to agree to stop working against Esther."

"Not gonna happen," Elena said, and her eyes flashed with unexpected ferocity. Bonnie nodded beside her.

"Even after all they've lost to the scourge that is vampirism?" the voices asked in a mocking tone that rang through Abby's head. "If it weren't for the parasites, your daughter would have had her mother whilst growing up, and her grandmother wouldn't be dead. If not for vampires, the doppelgänger would be able to live a normal girl's life. She wouldn't have died and required our intervention, and the death of her last parent, to survive as she is. If not for-"

"Enough!" Abby exclaimed. The voices hissed but fell silent as both girls looked alarmed at her sudden outburst. She relayed the spirits' question but withheld the additional comments that had been intended to wound and guilt the girls into action.

As she asked, Elena's eyes hardened, and she stood straighter. Her eyes narrowed, she looked around the room as if hoping to put the spirits in their place. Bonnie took Elena's hand and squeezed. They didn't need to hear the omitted words to know what was implied.

Bonnie's eyes fell on Abby. She felt as though she was being torn apart and examined. Abby feared there was no chance she wouldn't come up lacking in Bonnie's eyes. She wished, more than ever, to do right by Bonnie, but before she could speak, Elena began to defend her choice.

"No matter how much I've lost," she said, still searching the room for someone to tell off, "the vampires in my life have given me so much more. Stefan helped me find my way back to life. He and Damon, even if they don't listen to me, have helped me find strength I didn't know I had. And you" - she turned to Abby, fire burning in her eyes - "can't expect us to just stand by, or even aid in, Caroline's death. She's our sister. And Elijah-"

"Not to mention," Bonnie interrupted Elena's tirade, glancing at her friend in concern when her voice cracked on the last name, "though Elena wouldn't call it a reason, Esther plans to kill her too. I can't believe the spirits are okay with that, but I assure you, I'm not playing a role in the deaths of the only family I have left."

"Your father," Abby began, but Bonnie steamrolled the ending of the sentence.

"Doesn't understand." Bonnie's eyes closed off completely, leaving only an impassive mask on her face. She tapped the free fingers of her free hand against her thigh as she squeezed Elena's hand again. "I think he's more than a little afraid of what I am," Bonnie continued. "My friends aren't. They're my family." Abby had to bury a wince at that. She didn't deserve to feel hurt by that after abandoning her only child for sixteen years. "I refuse to give them up for some old witch who can't accept past choices."

The house rumbled furiously at her words. The air went deathly still as the light flashed like red lightning. Two young women stood glaring at open air, hands clasped tightly. They appeared unafraid, and Abby was envious.

"Anyone who doesn't like it," Bonnie growled.

"Can shove it," Elena finished. "We've made our decision."

The angry rumbling continued, but both Bonnie and Elena sported grim faces, and it only took a moment longer for Abby to reach her decision. She refused to take her daughter's family away again.

"What can I do?" Abby asked. "I want to help you."

At her admittance, the rumbling intensified. The light flashed like a strobe, and it felt like a brick wall had sprung up at Abby's back. It pushed her toward the door. She craned her neck to the side and saw that Bonnie and Elena were being thrust forward the same way. All three of them stumbled across the threshold, turning just in time to watch the thick oak door slam hard enough to crack.

The voices had one last message, and Abby saw Bonnie winced as well.

"You and yours will find no more aid here, Bennett witches!" they shouted, and it reverberated through Abby's entire body. "Your bloodline has chosen the wrong path!"

"What was that?"

Elena whirled on the source of the voice. "Jeremy!" she exclaimed and ran forward to hug him tight. He clasped her smaller frame to him. After a long hug, she pulled back and smacked him on the shoulder.

"You shouldn't be here!" she said, poking him with each word.

"I'm glad you're okay, too, 'Lena," he said, chuckling. "And, if all the people I care about are here, it's exactly where I'm supposed to be." Though he was talking to his sister, Abby saw him cast a lingering glance at Bonnie. And she didn't miss the bare flush on Bonnie's cheeks before she turned away to greet Caroline, whose arrival had been missed as Elena chastised Jeremy.

Once the two girls embraced, Bonnie turned to Elena.

"Really, Elena? Didn't we have this same fight an hour ago?"

Elena frowned and looked up at her brother, who had quirked an eyebrow at her. "Yeah, but… Jeremy-"

"Uh-huh," Caroline interrupted as she linked her arm with Bonnie's. "We know. You're the only one allowed to have a martyr complex."

"That's not-" Elena began, but the other three shot her exasperated looks. She stopped mid-thought. Instead of arguing, she gave Caroline a quick hug as well.

"Did Kol come too?" Bonnie asked.

Caroline nodded and turned, scanning the horizon. She pointed to the trees on the far end of the clearing, but Abby couldn't see anything at first. Then, the moon rose a little higher, and it's nearly-full face illuminated four forms, equally spaced and stalking toward Esther and her son.

Abby saw Esther look up and step into the protective circle as her children - it _had_ to be her children - neared.

"They're going to distract Esther," Bonnie said, and Abby turned her attention away from the sight. "Our ancestors already said they'd help me break the link between the Originals and Elena, but I could use your help to strengthen the connection." Bonnie finally met Abby's eyes, and though they were identical in color and shape, Abby didn't think hers had ever burned with the conviction Bonnie's did.

Abby nodded, and the two moved quietly past the others and down onto the ground. The other three were still watching the oncoming Mikaelson showdown, but Bonnie pulled a few small items out of her pockets: a tiny crystal vial of what looked like blood, a torn fragment of parchment, and -

"Are those birthday candles?" Elena asked from where she stood on the step.

"It was all I could sneak away," Bonnie said. "I hate to ask, Elena, but I need one more thing."

"Let me guess," she said, jumping down off the porch to join them. "My blood?" Bonnie nodded, and Elena offered her hand without hesitation. "Isn't it always that?"

Bonnie unstoppered the vial she already held, pricked Elena's finger with a pin, and caught a couple of drops in the vial.

"I know," she told her friend. "And I'm sorry. You know I wouldn't…"

"I know." Elena waved her off. "Just fix this so we can take care of her."

Bonnie nodded before kneeling down and smoothing out the parchment. She carefully poured the vial into the middle of the page, between six names. She looked up and Abby, who then joined her on the ground. Bonnie walked her through the words as Elena stepped away.

Once Abby had the words down, she nodded that she was ready. She and Bonnie joined hands and the candles flickered to life around them. Then, they began to chant.

" _Phasmatos ex solves, exis paunos animatos. Phasmatos de conjuctos, sua facto dux male. Phasmatos ex salvos, exis paunos animatos. De conjunctos sua facto. Phasmatos devos male._ " As they chanted, Abby felt surrounded by the warmth of family. She kept her eyes closed, but she felt a rough, calloused hand settle on one shoulder while a more delicate one rested on the middle of her back. Bonnie's hands twitched in hers, but they stayed focused, repeating the spell until the air shifted with its completion.

Abby opened her eyes and, for the briefest moment - less than the flash of a lightning bug - Abby saw that she and Bonnie were surrounded. Each person kneeling around them had features she had seen in the mirror or in family photos. All of them were connected in a web of touch.

At Bonnie's right shoulder, Abby saw a face she thought she never would see again. Sheila Bennett knelt beside her granddaughter. She smiled at Abby before vanishing with the rest of the Bennett ancestors. Bonnie still hadn't opened her eyes, but a single tear trailed down her cheek.

As she opened her eyes, Bonnie wiped the tear away. She turned toward where Elena had stood but froze. Her eyes widened as she turned. Abby moved to look too.

Elena was sprinting across the clearing toward Esther, who stood with power cracking around her hands. Hands pointed directly toward the blonde girl amidst the group of Original vampires.

As Bonnie called out to Elena, Abby grabbed her around the middle. She had to stop Bonnie from going into the line of fire. From the corner of her eye, she saw Caroline doing the same to Jeremy even as she screamed after Elena herself.

Elena glanced back once, but her face was set. "Sorry," she mouthed before turning back to whatever task she had set herself. Abby could only watch as she forced Bonnie back toward the porch. Each scream from her daughter ripped at her heart.

* * *

 **A/N: Sorry (not sorry) for the cliffy! It was the only way I could feasibly end this chapter...**


	18. Into the Fire

**Disclaimer: As you know by now, I don't TVD. If I did, a great many things would be different. Any recognizable characters, plots, and dialogue belong to L.J. Smith and the CW.**

 **A/N: I continue to appreciate each and every review you send. That make it so that, on the tough days, I still love coming back to this story. This one's a... well, you'll see.**

* * *

 **Esther**

Esther stood in her protective circle, facing off with four of her children, while the fifth stood at her back. Amid Kol and Klaus spewing their vitriol as Rebekah and Elijah glowered, Esther heard an unfamiliar voice - or many voices - hiss, "The Bennett witches betray you. They work to break the link you created. Act quickly if you hope to fulfill your goal."

Esther glanced around for the source of the voice, but none was evident. However, she did see Bonnie and Abby unexpectedly outside. Their joined hands and the energy rolling off them betrayed their actions. She saw a parchment on the ground and knew that the voices weren't lying to her. Close to the witches, Elena stood watching Esther and her children. She looked as though she couldn't decide where she wanted to be - glancing behind her and then back to the circle and Esther's family.

Esther felt the connection to her spells waver. She turned on her troublesome children. "Have you made a deal with my witches?" she exclaimed. "Did you think you would be able to distract me while they undid my work? I cannot allow that."

"A deal?" Kol said. "What would we have to offer them?"

"They act for their own reasons," Elijah said. His tone was even, and his face was blank. Unlike his siblings, he had taken the lessons about reining in his emotions to heart.

"And I'm sure your doppelgänger's fate has nothing to do with it," Esther taunted. She wanted to see how much humanity remained within her "noble" son.

His cheek twitched, but otherwise he didn't react. "I'm sure Elena's life has everything to do with it," he said. "And their other friends. Oddly, I don't believe they have taken the threat of losing half their number in one fell swoop particularly well."

"It's too bad they don't get to decide how this will go," Esther said.

The voices were whispering to her again, promising the power required to kill one of her children. They told her that they had found a way to interfere with the Bennetts' spell, allowing for part of the link to break, but maintaining the connection between all her children. When they offered a warning that using said power might kill her, Esther shrugged it off. At least, if her children were sent to the other side, she would not have to watch for the rest of her eternity while they tortured and murdered.

She raised her hands, and as she did, unfamiliar power began to crackle through her. It felt like her veins were on fire with the rage of a hundred souls. It was more power than even the entirety of the Bennett bloodline had been able to give her, and Esther reveled in the feel of it for a moment as it built.

Absently, she noticed as Kol stepped back and shot a veiled, panicked look toward Bonnie. However, Esther surveyed her children. Which one should take the brunt of the spell?

She could use Finn as she had intended, but the spirits intended this spell to first hurt then kill. Finn had been nothing but a compliant aide, and she didn't want to cause him more pain than necessary. The spirits whispered that, though this spell was powerful, it was not enough to kill Niklaus at his full strength. Elijah had at least been able to feign nobility and humanity over the centuries. Kol, while perhaps the most sadistic, was her youngest, and she couldn't, after the loss of Henrik kill her baby directly.

Which left Rebekah. Her daughter. Who had once been so innocent and full of love. But that girl had turned to stone through the actions of her brothers, herself, and even the world at large. It hurt Esther to see the complete change in Rebekah. Though she didn't _want_ to use Rebekah, she felt there was a sort of balance in using the female to end this form of life.

She held both hands out in front of her, palms facing Rebekah. The power rushed to focus at a point just in front of her.

At the last moment, Esther closed her eyes. Rebekah was still her little girl, even if she was unrecognizable. What had to be done did not necessarily have to be watched.

The power released.

The sound of bodies hitting the ground never came, though she kept her eyes closed a moment after the spell was cast. She was afraid to learn that she had been unsuccessful.

Esther cracked her eyes open and found all her children were well. They were gathered around a petite form. The figure had brown hair fanned out over Rebekah, who was supporting the girl until Elijah rushed forward.

Finn stepped to the very edge of the line protecting them from his brothers and sister, but Esther couldn't move. That had been her only chance. It took all the magic of the spirits, and they would need to recover before it could be cast again. But her body was already feeling the effects of channeling that much magic. She would not survive the night.

And when Elijah looked up from where he was cradling Elena's head, Esther knew she would be lucky to survive another twenty minutes.

The break in his emotions she had been pushing for had happened. Elena's selfless sacrifice - her death - had broken the curse. But Esther feared that it might have broken Elijah as well. It appeared he had finally come to terms with his feelings for the girl, possibly to the detriment of what remained of his humanity.

"Niklaus," Elijah said. His eyes burned, but his voice was still even. The calm before the storm. "Find a way to retrieve that witch. I want her dead."

Rebekah stood a step behind Elijah, staring down at Elena's form. Kol stood on Elijah's other side, and when he and Niklaus exchanged a glance, he cracked his knuckles.

Niklaus took one last look at Elijah and the wrath that lay in the tension of his body. His eyes wandered over the tender way Elijah's fingers traced Elena's features while glaring at Esther. Then, with a curt nod of his head, he turned to the salt circle.

"Come out and play, mother dearest," he called in a bone-chilling singsong voice. He and Kol stepped ever closer until the torches flared up.

Esther took a step back and collided with Finn, who looked down at her with a blank expression.

"No," she said, "Finn, my darling son. Don't-"

"Now I'm your darling son?" he asked. "When you couldn't even find it in you to, at the least, turn my body over? No, Mother. I know you lied to me when you said you cared then, and I wonder what else you've lied about."

"No-"

With a quick shove, Finn thrust her forward and out of the protection. There was a flicker of a moment before her children descended on her.

 **Elena**

As Bonnie and Abby began to chant, Elena stepped away. She wanted to be near enough to know when it was done, but she didn't want to risk getting in the way. She glanced up at Caroline and Jeremy, who had sat on the edge of the porch, watching as the Mikaelson children prowled toward their mother.

Bonnie had told her Kol's theory, which explained why she couldn't see Elijah among them, but she knew he must be there. She idly wondered which role he was taking tonight: badass, hellbent on vengeance, or calming influence on the others. Maybe somewhere in the middle.

Elena closed her eyes for a moment, and as she did so, she felt a rush of emotions that weren't hers. They were stronger than anything she'd ever felt, and part of her knew they were coming from the vampires currently distracting Esther from what Bonnie was doing. There was rage and disappointment, deep regret and despair, and hurt. There was so much hurt. Elena wanted to cry out when she felt the heightened devastation of the siblings. They were losing their mother again, and more than that, she had come back with the explicit goal of killing them.

Elena no longer had to imagine what that would feel like. She gripped the banister to keep her from falling to her knees, and her eyes snapped open when fear edged into her mind. That wasn't hers either, but she saw Esther's hands raised and energy like black lightning crackled around them. They moved along the lineup of her children before settling on Rebekah, but Elena was already running.

She didn't remember telling her feet to move, but some force was driving her forward. As she ran, she saw Kol and Klaus' eyes widen as they struggled against invisible bonds. She felt more fear slip into her blood, reaching a boiling point before ceasing entirely.

She glanced back and saw that Bonnie and Abby were no longer chanting. The link was broken, and everything she felt was her own again, but still she couldn't stop. She heard Jeremy shout her name, and as she continued to sprint toward Esther, she met his eyes.

He was struggling, but Caroline held him back. He kept trying to shove her off, but to no avail. Caroline's tears glittered in the light of the moon, but she held fast, even while screaming for Elena to stop as well. Bonnie's shouts joined the other two. Elena could barely bring herself to look her best friend in the eye for the instant she did. But she _needed_ to get to the Originals. To Elijah and his family. The need to protect, which she knew wasn't entirely hers, raged. She mouthed her apology before turning back to her quest.

She flung herself in front of Rebekah, whose eyes had gone wide, with her arms spread. Even as she opened her mouth to plead with Esther to stop, the dark spell slammed into her. She knew it was only an instant, but the agony ripping through every fiber of her being felt like it went on forever.

In her time with vampires, she had felt a wide assortment of pain, but nothing had ever felt like this before. Time slowed as she was flung back into Rebekah, silently begging for the torture to end.

When it finally stopped, and the darkness fell over her, Elena was grateful. She had repaid Rebekah. Her honor was intact.

 **Elijah**

Esther's spell arced through the air toward Rebekah. Elijah remembered seeing this magic once before, when Bonnie had sought to kill Klaus. Time seemed to slow down for him as he tried to get to Rebekah. He found he couldn't move, and neither could his brothers. He felt desperation in every fiber of his being to get between his sister and the spell, or at least that she would be able to move out of the way. But none of them could move an inch.

He was frantic to move only five feet to his left. What would normally be possible in the blink of an eye couldn't be done. He knew this would be the end of them all, but that wasn't what drove his fear. His little sister. Bekah. He wanted to save her from any pain he could. But, Elijah couldn't move, and he met her eyes, hoping to convey how sorry he was.

It was as they stared at each other that he saw her eyes go wide and she gasped. An instant later, the spell connected. But it was the strangest thing. The dark magic stopped a couple feet in front of Rebekah, who stumbled back a couple steps, her arms coming up to catch…

 _Elena?_

All of a sudden, Elijah could see her plain as day, but instead of the relief he had hoped to feel once the curse was broken, he felt only despair.

Because, though he could see her at last, he couldn't hear a thing. Her heartbeat, always so strong and steady, was silent.

Whatever force had held them still was gone as the spell dissipated. Elijah ran to Rebekah's side as she lowered Elena to the ground. She didn't say a word as he repositioned Elena across his lap, gently pushing her hair out of her face.

Her eyes were still wide with pained surprise. He couldn't accept the fact that he couldn't hear her heart. Elijah gently pressed two fingers to her throat, but there was nothing. He caressed her cheek before closing her eyes.

He suppressed his grief as he looked up at Esther. She was fading fast in the aftermath of the size of her spell, but he wouldn't be satisfied if she merely passed on from this life. He felt his need for revenge boil up, and he wanted to tear her apart himself, but he also wanted to continue holding Elena.

Without looking away from Esther, he asked Niklaus to dispatch her. At first, it seemed like the barrier she had erected would stymie them, but to his immense surprise, Finn shoved her outside the protection.

As the others fell on Esther and her screams rent the air, Finn came to stand behind Elijah. He rested his hand on Elijah's shoulder and said quietly, "I'm sorry I didn't see sooner that she had changed. I was blinded by my own hatred of what we are."

Elijah nodded curtly, unable to form words.

He didn't feel any sort of relief until Niklaus dropped Esther's bloody heart beside him.

"Let's hope she stays dead this time," he said. Niklaus wiped his hand clean with the handkerchief Finn handed him before he knelt beside Elijah. "Let's get her home before the transition begins."

"Transition?" Elijah asked.

"She took my blood earlier," Rebekah said. "I tried to tell you, but…"

"The curse." Elijah sighed. "She doesn't want that. She never has."

"We can worry about that later," Rebekah said. "For now, let's get out of here."

"I'll get the others," Kol said and sped away to the old house. On the porch, Jeremy shouted at Caroline and Bonnie for not saving Elena. Elijah watched just long enough for the boy's fury to dissolve into despair before he lifted Elena and walked, with her held close to his chest, back to the Gilbert house.

* * *

 **A/N: Well, I resolved the cliffy. Other than that, I'm just... sorry. If you follow my tumblr, you know I keep talking about how the entire plot of this story has gotten away from me. I swear this wasn't where I was going when I started. But I love it anyway, and I hope you still do too.**


	19. Ashes, Ashes, We All Fall Down

**A/N: Sorry for the wait on this chapter. I've lost count of how many times I've rewritten it. I hope it's worth all of the changes... Thank you for your patience. There will be an epilogue for this story, but otherwise, this is the end. Thank you for reading and all of your comments and likes. Y'all make a writer's day when you share the love! 3 3**

* * *

 **Elena**

Elena opened her eyes slowly. She had been sure that throwing herself in front of Esther's spell had killed her. How was she able to open her eyes?

The sky above her was swirling with familiar blues, greens, and purples. She stared at it long enough to see a hint of red that wasn't there before, which gave her pause. Just as her shock registered, Elena heard footsteps to her left. She froze as she laid in the long grass, blades tickling her in a gentle breeze. The last time she was in this place, she had met Elijah, but that shouldn't be the case now. The link had been broken, and she was the only one to die.

Right?

The steps stopped only a couple feet away, followed by a ringing silence. Elena could almost feel it weighing on her.

Who else could be in the Mikaelsons' personal limbo?

She took a breath as she turned her head, but the person she saw standing there stole it away.

"Mom?" She wasn't sure the word made a sound except in her own mind. But Miranda smiled as she knelt inches from Elena's side.

"Elena," her mom breathed as she pulled Elena upright and into a hug. "I'm happy to see you, even if the reason breaks my heart."

Tears gathered in her eyes - relief, sadness, and happiness at seeing her mom again - as she clung to her mom. "I'm dead, aren't I?"

"Not entirely," her mom said, and Elena was confused until she remembered Rebekah's actions while they were all linked. It was a foggy memory at best, but the tang of blood had been strong.

She was transitioning.

"I'm going to be a vampire?"

Her mom pulled back from the hug for a moment, and Elena saw the conflict in her eyes. Miranda had been aware of vampires. The Gilberts were part of the Founders' Council, determined to eradicate them. But, Elena was her daughter. Not even an adult yet.

"Part of why I'm here," her mom said slowly, "is that the spirits of generations of witches want to offer you another option as thanks for preserving nature's balance. Something to spare some of the pain of what is to come."

* * *

 **Elijah**

Elijah took Elena home and laid her out on her bed. He sat in her desk chair, which he had pulled flush to the side of her bed, silently waiting for her to wake. He laid his hand on the bed beside Elena's, but he couldn't bring himself to touch her. It was enough to be able to _see_ her at long last. It wasn't until she had vanished from his life that Elijah came to see how accustomed he had grown to seeing her every day.

Now, thanks to the curse, he knew with unexpected certainty that she was the one meant for him. He still couldn't believe it. But, of course, his luck in love would dictate that the person meant to be his soulmate wouldn't live a single day to know how deeply he already cared for her.

Kol returned with Bonnie, Caroline, and Jeremy in tow. The girls comforted each other as best they could downstairs while Jeremy stormed the stairs to see Elena, shouting over his shoulder, "Let all the damn vampires in, who the hell cares." Elijah didn't know if that counted as an invitation, but Rebekah joined him shortly afterward, claiming the seat he so often took in Elena's window.

The group downstairs continued to grow, and they were in mourning, as if Elena were already dead. They all _knew_ Elena didn't want to be a vampire. She was fine with them being in her life. Loved a fair few of them. But she didn't want to be one.

In the next room, Jeremy was silent now. He had looked in on Elena, but after taking in her still form on the bed, he was gone as soon as it registered. The door to his room had shut with a bang, and Elijah had half-listened as the boy demolished everything he could set his hands on. Elijah wanted to do the same, but he couldn't look away from the girl on the bed. Eventually, Jeremy had fallen back against the door to the bathroom he shared with Elena. Now, only the occasional sob sounded through the door.

Unsurprisingly, it was Bonnie and Caroline who came next to check on Elena. Bonnie was leaning heavily on Caroline, exhausted from using so much magic already that night. The two sat on the bed beside Elena, and though he knew they spoke to her, Elijah didn't register the words. They didn't stay for long, but when they left, he saw a simple lapis lazuli ring beside the hand Bonnie had held.

Stefan came next. Elijah found himself grateful that they had elected to come in waves. He didn't think he would have been able to take it if her friends had forced themselves into the room en masse. He didn't want to remove his focus from Elena, but he noticed Stefan take the same seat the girls had filled a moment before. He took Elena's hand before glancing at Elijah for a second.

"Elena," Stefan said in little more than a whisper, "I know how much you didn't want to be a vampire. We all know, but you have to know that we don't want to be without you just as much." Elijah thought Stefan must know there was no way Elena could hear him, but he was only saying what Elijah wished he could voice. "Please," Stefan continued, "there are so many of us whose world would be darker without you in it."

He finished what he had to say, nodded to Elijah and Rebekah with nary a narrowed eye, and returned downstairs.

"Is it that easy to be accepted by these people?" Rebekah asked quietly. "After everything we've done to them…"

Elijah sighed, but answered her without taking his eyes from Elena. "Not easy," he said, his voice strained from lack of use and the emotions he held back. "Simply a matter of it not being worth the effort for them. I'm sure once everything is settled and she's made her decision, there will be hell to pay."

"You don't _know_ what she'll do," Rebekah reminded him.

Elijah frowned as he thought on her words, but his reverie was broken by a disruption downstairs. He recognized the raised voices of Damon, Alaric, and Caroline, as well as the more muted argument from Stefan. He braced himself as he heard someone thundering up the stairs, a couple other sets following in the wake.

"Get the hell away from her!" Damon said as he barged into the room, dancing out of the way of Stefan's attempts to restrain him and ignoring Alaric's calming words. "Haven't you lot done enough to her? The last thing she'll want to see when she wakes is your vile faces."

"And you think she'd rather see the person who's responsible for what she's going through?" Rebekah fired back, coming to stand between Damon and Elijah, who had finally taken Elena's hand, as if afraid she would be physically ripped away from him.

"That's rich, Barbie Klaus," Damon spat. "When you're the one who fed her blood!"

"Which I only had to do because you're the moron who put her life in danger!"

"You didn't think I was a moron the other night," Damon said as his self-satisfied smirk slid into place.

Rebekah scowled and crossed her arms over her chest as she looked down at him. "That's your argument for getting closer to Elena right now?"

Damon opened his mouth, but Stefan cut across him, "She's right, Damon. She did what she did because you daggered Elijah even after he told you they were linked with Elena. This is your fault. You can see Elena when she's awake, if she wants to see you, but I don't think you should be here."

"Then, why did you call me?"

"I felt you had a right to know what had happened after you skipped town, but that didn't mean I thought you needed to be here. You made it perfectly clear where you stood on Elena's welfare tonight."

"That was before I knew her so-called soulmate would go and let her get herself killed!"

Elijah tore his eyes from Elena's still form to glare at Damon, but the heat was lessened by the gut-wrenching sadness in his eyes. "If I could have stopped her," he said, forcing his tone to remain steady, "rest assured, she would not be in this state, but as I informed you earlier, I had no way of doing so."

Damon lunged for the bed, but Stefan flashed to stand beside Rebekah as Alaric came forward and placed a restraining hand on his shoulder.

"Damon," he said, and Elijah saw how red the man's eyes were, "You're making the already impossible that much harder. Can't you see that you're not the only one hurting?"

"But - but I _love her_."

Elijah growled at that. "You love the _idea_ of her," he spat. "You're still too stuck on Katherine" - he spat the name like poison - "to see who Elena truly is. You want her to be someone else, and you have no right to force her into a box she was never going to fit into."

"You loved Katherine too," Damon reminded him.

"I lusted after Katerina," Elijah rebutted. "But I don't see her when I look at Elena. If either is the shadow self, Katerina is the dimmer of the two, but I don't expect you to see that through your hazy feelings."

Before Damon could argue more, Caroline appeared to drag him downstairs.

"Enough!" she shouted as angry tears tracked down her already tear-stained face. "You don't belong here. For whatever reason, Elena's forgiven you again and again. And I'm sure she will even this time, but for now, get your sorry ass downstairs and stop making everyone even more miserable then they already are!"

When he still didn't relent, Caroline and Stefan each took him by an arm and dragged him downstairs, Caroline gleefully offering to snap his neck if he didn't shut up. Elijah heard Klaus pipe up that he could do it if she didn't want to strain herself, but he tuned out her snappy retort as Alaric asked if he could stay for a few moments. When neither Original said anything against it, he moved to sit on Elena's window seat, resting his elbows on his knees and bowing his head into his palms.

Rebekah resumed her spot on the other end of the seat. She pulled her knees up to her chest and rested her cheek on one knee, watching Elijah. He watched them settle before he looked back at Elena, only realizing then that he was holding her hand. He squeezed it briefly before pulling his hand away. He was startled when it squeezed back, effectively stopping him from letting go.

Elijah's eyes snapped to her face. Elena's eyes fluttered open before she shot upright. She clutched her head with her free hand but didn't let go of Elijah. After a moment, her eyes wildly roved around the room.

"Mom?" she asked, confusion heavy in her tone. But then, her eyes found Elijah, and a tentative smile appeared. "I can see you…"

Elijah let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding, sighing her name.

Elena squeezed his hand. But she frowned when she saw who was sitting behind him. "Rebekah?" she asked. "I didn't expect you to… Why are you here waiting for me to wake up?"

"I'm finding it hard to hate the person who died for me," Rebekah said. "I'm sure I'll find a way again. Just keep talking."

Elena choked on a laugh. "Glad nothing much has changed," she said. Her eyes turned to Alaric, who was staring at her, his fingers rubbing at his temples.

"You have to stop dying on me," he said. "You're the closest thing to a kid I've got, Elena."

Her smile wavered a little as she looked at him. "I think I'm done dying on you," she said. "But, where's everyone else? Don't get me wrong, but I didn't expect you three to be the ones waiting at my bedside. Jeremy… Caroline and Bonnie… Even Stefan and Damon…"

Just then, the door to Jeremy's room was flung open, and he tore into her room. Jeremy climbed onto her bed and crushed Elena to him, Elijah saw the boy's splotchy face and dried tear tracks but averted his eyes as Jeremy clung to his sister. She hugged him back as best she could with the way he'd pinned her arms.

There was a knock on Elena's door, and Caroline popped her head in. "Oh! I thought I heard… You're awake! Um, there's a lot of us here to see you…"

Elena shifted in Jeremy's grasp, but he refused to let go. "Come in," Elena said. She managed to escape Jeremy's hold as everyone else took the chance to hug her, but Elijah noticed that no one's face lost the tension they all wore. He knew he hadn't relaxed yet either. She told Alaric she thought she was done dying on him, but…

Elijah's other siblings were the last to file in, and Elena frowned when she saw that, but Elijah said, "You saved Rebekah. Of course, we're all here."

She stayed focused on his face for a long moment, as if memorizing something she'd thought forever lost. Then, she nodded and looked around at all of her friends and family. He could see her counting them, and when he looked around again, he saw that Damon hadn't made a reappearance.

"Damon isn't here?" she asked in a reserved voice.

"He burst in earlier," Rebekah offered.

Caroline nodded. "But he made a scene, so he was shut up."

Elena nodded at that. "So," she said, "is anyone going to ask? I know what you're all thinking…" She glanced from Jeremy, who had finally released her, but was sitting close by her side, to Elijah who was still clasping her hand like a lifeline, to Bonnie, Carline, Matt, and Stefan who had crowded in on the foot of her bed.

"We just got you back," Bonnie whispered. "Sorry if we don't want to talk about how you're not staying with us."

"And if I'm planning to complete the transition?"

Silence greeted her proclamation. Elijah knew he couldn't quite believe what he was hearing. He was sure that the people who knew her longer felt it even more intensely.

"Are you?" The quiet question was from Jeremy, and intent stares watched Elena's every move until she answered him.

"I know I haven't hidden how much it isn't what I wanted," Elena began. Her eyes scanned the faces of each of her loved ones. "But I was offered the chance to just pass on without having to go through the pain of transition, and I thought about all of you… I'm not ready to go yet." Her eyes moved to Elijah. "There's still so much to see and do, and I'm not going to give up on everything. I… I don't want to be without you all."

There was another moment of perfect silence before Caroline raced from the room and came back with a blood bag in each hand. Meanwhile, Bonnie searched the sheets and came up with the ring she had made for Elena.

"We were hoping…" she said. "We weren't ready to lose you yet either."

Elena took the ring from Bonnie, but when she realized she wasn't getting her hand back from Elijah, she looked up at a loss. Caroline slid it on for her before handing her a blood bag. Before she took her first sip, she looked around at them all.

"Uh, guys…" she said. "If you don't mind… I'd rather do this without everyone staring at me. Can you all just give me a minute?"

No one was eager to leave her, but they stepped away one by one, her friends each giving her another hug before they left. When Elijah went to pull away though, her hand clasped his tighter.

"Stay," she said. "Please."

Elijah hesitated, looking down at their joined hands. Her olive skin contrasted with his own pale hand, and he was torn between never wanting to let her go and making sure she wasn't tainted with everything that came with being near him and his family.

"There's been a lot to take in in the last few days," she said. "And my turning is just another thing. I remember you said once that forever was a long time for a vampire. And I know that we're supposedly soulmates…"

Elijah thought maybe his heart stopped beating when she said "supposedly." He knew, through living the long, long life he had led thus far, that what he felt for this girl was unparalleled, but if she didn't feel the same way…

"Which is scary," she said. "But I think the part that scares me the most is that it doesn't scare me as much as it should. See, forever is about to be a very real thing for me, and I'd like to take it a day at a time, but I think, with you by my side, maybe forever wouldn't be such a bad thing."

Elijah couldn't have stopped his eyes from widening if he had wanted to. He whipped his head up to look at her as she took her first tentative sip of blood. She frowned before putting her lips back to the tube and draining the entire bag. She tossed it aside before meeting his gaze.

"Please say something," she said. "I - If you don't feel the same… Just - say something."

Elijah, for the first time in as long as he could remember, didn't choose his words with careful precision. He said the first thing that rose to his lips. "I would very much like to kiss you."

A shy smile spread on Elena's face, and she pulled on his hand until he sat beside her on the bed. She looked up at him and squeezed his hand. "Okay."

Elijah didn't need to be told twice. He lifted his free hand to caress her cheek. He had thought he would never see her again, and now - now, they had countless years before them. For him to memorize every expression, curve, smile… He guided her lips to his. A soft, chaste press of lips against lips, and he didn't think he'd ever enjoyed something so simple this much before.

He felt her smile against his own lips, and that's when he realized he was as lost as he could be. He would do anything she asked of him, and if she wanted to take this day by day, he would wait another thousand years for her to decide what she wanted.


End file.
